Tainted Love
by Nara Temari
Summary: After being poisoned and forced to spend a passionate night together, how will Neji and Tenten keep the secret of byakugan safe?
1. A Fresh Start

They walked in silence down the dirt path they had walked so many times before; however, this time it was different. In their younger years, the silence was companionable and pleasant; a mere result of the Hyuuga's stoic nature and the Kunoichi's love of simply observing him in his natural state. Nevertheless, time had past too quickly, as it always does, and destiny had other plans for them; plans that took them their separate ways, resulting in their current state of awkward silence.

Tenten released her focus from the ground for a brief moment to glance at the man walking beside her. 'He is just as beautiful as ever,' she thought to herself, if not more so than the last time she had seen him, with his long and silky ebony locks blowing gently with the breeze. In the two years they had been apart, his build seemed to have grown more muscular, and his step more regal than ever before. Whether this was due to age or becoming the head of his clan, she knew not, but suspected the latter of the two. As if he could feel her eyes on him, he shifted his gaze to hers. White and beautiful in its intensity, his eyes seemed to pierce through to her very soul. Not being able to hold up under such force, she fixed her eyes onto the ground again, searching for something to say.

"I heard you're engaged now. Congratulations."

"There is nothing to congratulate. It is merely my duty to the clan. It's a business arrangement…there is no love involved...therefore, nothing to congratulate."

He reverted his focus back onto the trail ahead of them, plunging them once again into an uncomfortable silence. Attempting to ease her embarrassment, Tenten spoke again.

"Sorry, I was just trying to make conversation…I didn't mean to offend you."

At the sound of her uneasy voice, Neji glanced over at her, noticing the slight pink tint to her cheeks. He felt the beginnings of a smile creep onto his face. He had always loved how easily her emotions got the best of her, showing through on her face despite her attempts to hide them. 'Some things never change,' he thought to himself, shaking his head.

"Don't worry about offending me Tenten…focus on the mission ahead of us. Do you remember our objective?"

Regaining her composure, Tenten looked up and replied, "We are to travel to the boarder of Lightning Country to investigate a medicinal plant that their hidden village has been using to cure disease. We are to bring back a sample for Tsunade to study. It was the Lightning country's invitation, and they have even set up a place for us to stay. It seems fairly simple."

"Yes, it seems that way, but we shouldn't let our guard down. Although the Hidden Stone village claims to be somewhat of an ally, it is an unstable one at best. I don't trust them."

The Stone village was a touchy subject for Neji, as it was their failed attempt at stealing the secret of byakugan that had resulted in his father's premature death. This was common knowledge in Konoha. Although his anger at his clan had faded, his hatred for the other side responsible had not. Aware of the change in Neji's composure, Tenten attempted to ease his discomfort.

"Relax Neji…everything will be fine."

Raising an eyebrow, Neji replied, "What gives you the impression that I am tense?"

Tenten sighed. It was going to be a long walk to Lightning Country.

* * *

It was sunset when they arrived at the inn prepared for them. They stood in a large lobby filled with tropical plants and complete with a stylish fountain in the center. Moderately sized, yet still luxurious, Tenten looked on in awe, while Neji seemed unaffected by the display. Accustomed to the spaciousness of the Hyuuga complex, this place was nothing special to him.

"Glad to see you finally arrived," a young bond haired man exclaimed as he approached them. " I'm Ryoki and I will be taking care of all your needs while you are here," he said with a smile, as he looked Tenten up and down, "Any thing at all." Tenten was far too entranced with the place to even notice his actions, but Neji certainly did. He gritted his teeth.

"I doubt we will need help from you…of any kind." If looks could kill, Ryoki would be dead now, unable to withstand Neji's fierce glare. All the while, the Hyuua fought to suppress his urge to gentle fist the man.

Finally noticing her fuming teammate, Tenten attempted to alleviate the tense situation.

"You will have to excuse him Ryoki-san, we have been traveling for days and are somewhat exhausted. If you could show us to our rooms, we would be very grateful." Tenten nudged Neji in the side with her elbow.

"Right Neji?"

"Hn," was all he replied.

"Great!" countered Ryoki, with a satisfied smirk, " Let's get going!"

The two ninjas began to gather their belongings, but just as Tenten reached for her bags, she was stopped by her blond admirer. "A woman as beautiful as you shouldn't have to carry her own bags," he said with a charming smile. Tenten felt the blood rush to her face. He was no Neji, but he was still handsome.

"Thank you for the offer sir, but that wont be necessary. What kind of Ninja would I be if I couldn't carry my own bags?"

"Suit yourself." He replied, slightly disappointed. "We are short on rooms right now, so we need you to share…I hope there is no problem with this arrangement-"

"That will be fine," Neji interrupted, still clearly agitated with the man.

"I will come by tomorrow to show you around the grounds, then we can discuss the terms of our trade," Ryoki said as he opened the door for the two ninja. Neji quickly walked through, placing his bags on the bed. However, as Tenten walked in, Ryoki stopped her movement, grabbing her by the waist and cupping her face with his hand.

"Perhaps you would like a private tour later tonight," Ryoki whispered, his face dangerously close to Tenten's. Before Tenten could knock the man off herself, Neji had him by the shirt collar, his byakugan activated.

"She's not interested, " he growled.

"Neji stop!" Tenten yelled, grabbing at his arm for him to let go. Reluctantly, Neji released the man.

"I see I have worn out my welcome," replied Ryoki as he straightened out his clothing and headed for the door, " Goodnight." And with that Ryoki exited the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

"What is your problem Neji?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied as he unpacked his things, taking a clean shirt out of his bag.

"Don't play dumb with me Hyuuga! You know exactly what I'm talking about. Are you trying to endanger our mission? If our treaty with this country is as shaky as you say it is, we need to be on our best behavior. Are you even aware of the damage you could have done? You're going to have to apologize tomorrow."

"I am not apologizing for anything! He was all over you Tenten!" Neji shouted as he as he hastily pulled his shirt over his head. His breathing was heavy, and well evident through the visible rise and fall of his very sculptured chest. Tenten was momentarily distracted from her anger, and her heart beat wildly. She had seen Neji with out his shirt countless times before when they were younger, but she never remembered it looking quite like it did now… broad, muscular, and incredibly sexy. She took a deep breath to steady herself and replied.

"So, activating byakugan on the man was going to help that?"

Neji stalked over to Tenten, backing her up against the wall, pressing his body up against hers. His right hand rested on one side of her head while his other rested below her waist. She could feel the heat and frustration coming off his body. His blazing white eyes burned into her rich chocolate ones, and he made his reply in a deep, raspy voice that was dangerously low.

"These people can't be trusted! You have no idea what that man had in mind for you. These people are underhanded. My father is dead because of their actions!"

"So that's what this is all about…you're finally head of the Hyuuga clan, but you're still that caged bird...unable to let go of the past." The moment she said it, she knew that she shouldn't have. She immediately saw the hurt in his eyes... eyes that usually hid every emotion. There was a moment of dead silence after that. For a instant, Tenten thought he wouldn't say anything at all.

"You're right. I can't let go." Neji released Tenten and walked back over to the bed. He pulled his shirt over his head and walked to the door, but stopped before opening it.

" I'm going to get some fresh air." Without looking back, he walked out, leaving her to her thoughts.

* * *

Tenten let the warm water of the shower rinse the sweat from her body and ease her aching muscles. However, the water did little to relieve her troubled mind. Was it wrong of her to say what she had to Neji? She didn't need to ask herself…she knew that it was. He seemed far tenser than she ever remembered him being. His actions today certainly proved that. She had never seen Neji's emotions get the better of him on a mission. Maybe the stress of being clan leader and his upcoming arranged marriage had taken its toll on him.

Upcoming marriage…she couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment at the thought. Not that she ever imagined that she had any kind of chance with Neji…they were from completely different social statuses for anything like that to ever be possible, but that had never stopped her from harboring feelings of deep love and admiration for the man.

Rinsing the soap out of her hair, she stepped out of the shower and dressed herself. She then emerged from the bathroom only to find the hotel room empty. He still hadn't come back. Her guilt over their previous conversation assailed her again, forming a lump in her stomach. She knew what she had to do, and she exited the room in search of her troubled teammate.

* * *

It wasn't long before she found him, seated at the hotel bar and staring into his cup forlornly.

"So this is your idea of fresh air?" She jokingly asked as pulled out a stool and sat down beside him. He continued to study the lukewarm sake in his cup, but listened intently to what the kunoichi had to say.

"Look…I'm sorry about what I said Neji." She placed her hand on his back, gently rubbing small circles into the broad expanse of of it's surface as she continued, " It was wrong…and I was out of line."

Her touch at his back eased his tension, while increasing it in a completely different way, causing his heart to beat erratically. He had always loved Tenten, though he would never admit it to her. He knew his family would never approve, and there was no reason to start something that would only end in heartache. Even now, after so much time, he couldn't act on it. He was engaged. They led different lives now. But those thoughts did nothing to ease his longing. It was true that he was mistrustful of these people, but that wasn't the real source of his anger tonight. He had lost his temper at the sight of another man touching what, in his mind, was his…and his alone.

But he had no claim on her, and he knew it. There was no excuse for his behavior tonight. Tenten merely nullified the pathetic excuse that he had been using to lie to her…and himself. Still looking at his sake, which had grown cold, he answered her.

"You don't need to apologize Tenten. I was the one who out of line. I'm sorry."

He finally looked up at his Teammate, and what he saw almost made his jaw drop. Tenten's long, brown hair was down and still wet from the shower. It clung to the sides of her face and shoulders, and trailed down over her back. He closed his eyes to steady himself; unable to move as he felt his blood pump quickly through is body.

"What's wrong Neji? Are you alright?" Tenten asked, confused at his strange behavior.

"No…no, it's nothing…I've just never seen you with your hair down before."

"You don't like it do you…I'll put it back up-"

"Don't!" Neji grabbed her wrist as she attempted to pull it back. "It's beautiful."

Tenten dropped her gaze, hopping that Neji couldn't see her flushed face as he stared at her, but knew in her heart that she could hide nothing from Neji's all-seeing eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, she was stopped short by the coughing sound of someone standing in front of them.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything, but are you the two ninjas from Konoha?" asked the bar tender, snapping them out of the moment and back to reality. Happy for the distraction, Neji quickly made a reply.

"Yes, we are. What do you need sir?"

"Hahaha…no need for formalities," laughed the plump, jovial bar tender. "We are very proud to have you here in our country! It has been so long since we've been on good terms with anyone. I just wanted to offer you two a drink…this one is on me!"

With that, he replaced the old sake bottle with a new, warm one and placed two cups in front of them.

"Thank you very much sir!" Tenten replied and poured the drinks.

"To a fresh start!" She said, holding her drink up in the air. Neji chuckled under his breath and followed suit.

"To a fresh start," he replied and they both turned back their drinks, the warm liquid burning as it went down.

Tenten slammed her small cup down on the counter. When she looked to Neji, she noticed that the room had started to blur. She closed her eyes and wiped them with her hands in an attempt to regain her former composure, but to no avail. The room began to spin, violently.

"Neji…I…feel…funny," she said in a slightly slurred tone, then promptly passed out on the table.

"Tenten!" Neji cried as he tried to figure out what was going on, his on vision beginning to blur. There was only one explanation…they had been drugged. Neji dropped his head to the bar and attempted to activate byakugan, but it was in vain. Tenten's face was the last thing he saw as his world slipped into darkness.

* * *

Well, that's the end of the first chapter! It's been so long since I've written a story... I don't know if I still have the ability to write a decent one. This is also the first time that I have posted a story before I really know where I am going with it...and it is my first shot at a more serious genre...so please let me know what you think by clicking the review button! I also might change the rating of this story...I am still undecided about writing a lemon because I am just not sure if I have it in me. Anyway, thanks for reading!


	2. A Night of Hot Passion

Okay! Here's Chapter two…I decided to try my hand at a lemon, which I included in this chapter…so if you like happen to like citrus, please enjoy! If not, no problem…. Just skip this chapter and wait until the next one comes out…I will include a toned down summary at the top of the next one so you will still know what's going on. Now for thank you's…

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read chapter 1. I would also like to give an even bigger thank you to UcHiHaHyUuGa, XMitsuki MoonX, xXCombatFlats.Xx (Sorry about the period missing...for some reason when I added it and tried to save it, the computer would delete all of the letters before the letter b!),  Tennie-chan, bestwishes64, verycherrybaby, Princess of Storms, and The Cheez for reviewing, favorite-ing, c2-ing, or putting my story on their alert list! You guys rock!

So without further ado… I give you chapter 2…

* * *

"Uhhhh…" Tenten groaned as she awoke, only to find herself lying face first on an unfamiliar floor. Pushing herself up with her hands, she then rubbed her forehead in confusion. What had happened? Where was she?

She seemed to be alone as she scanned the small room that she was enclosed in. It was the strangest place she had ever seen. The walls seemed to be made out of some type of metal. The floors were no different. There were no windows to look out of, and only one door in which to enter or exit. She frantically ran towards that very door, her right arm outstretched and reaching for the knob. Just as her hand wrapped around the cold metal, a very familiar, masculine voice echoed through the room.

"It's locked."

"Neji…"

She turned to find Neji huddled in a small ball beside the only piece of furniture in the room…a plain white bed. His back rested against the side of it and his arms were wrapped around his knees. As she slowly took a step towards him, she noticed that his whole body seemed to be shaking.

"Neji…are you alrig-"

"DON"T! Don't come any closer!"

The intensity in his voice stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Something…is…wrong with me."

Tenten forced herself to remember the events of last night. They had arrived in Lightning Country…they had a fight… they had drinks at the bar…

"Oh my god! They drugged us!" Tenten whispered. Suddenly, she felt the presence of someone else in the room.

"Well done Tenten!"

She turned to find Ryoki standing behind her, clapping his hands in mock congratulation…a menacing smirk on his handsome face. In her confusion, she hadn't even heard him enter.

"You certainly are a bright one, aren't you? Ha ha."

Enraged, Tenten rushed at the man, fully prepared to beat him to a bloody pulp with her fists. But just as she was about to reach him, she dropped to the floor. Like Neji, she began to shake and her whole body felt funny…almost tingly.

"Now, Now…Let's not be too hasty! The night is still so young!"

"What is it you want from us?" Neji asked, sounding unlike his usual self.

"I'm so glad you asked Neji!" He replied, as he arrogantly strutted over to where Neji was sitting. Crouching down in front of him, he met the Hyuuga's icy glare head on.

"I want your eyes! My village has been after your family's kekkei genkai for years…and every time, your family has evaded us. If we could just harness the secrets of byakugan, then our hidden village could be restored to its rightful glory!"

"Then let Tenten go. It's me you want."

"Haha…You see Neji, that is where you're wrong! Tenten has a very important role in this," he said as he pulled Tenten up off the floor and clutched her to his chest.

"I can't simply take the secret from you. Even though you are the Hyuuga's clan leader, you still bear that appalling seal on your forehead. Killing you would do me no good, and since the last attempt at a kidnapping ended poorly for us, there is only one other alternative…to make my own!"

Tenten listened to his words in disbelief. Make one? But they would have to…

"You can't force us to sleep with each other!" Tenten screamed, realizing what the man had in mind.

"Yes I can." Ryoki turned her around so that she faced him. "Remember that drug we gave you. At first it works like a tranquilizer, putting its victim to a deep sleep. However, when the victim wakes up, it begins to act as a powerful aphrodisiac. You teammate is already feeling its effects." With that said, he threw Tenten down on the bed and pulled Neji up off the floor, forcing him to look at her.

"How much longer do you think you can fight it Neji? I bet you are already hard with anticipation…"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled, closing his eyes to shut out the image of his teammate splayed across the bed.

"Such manners! Really, Neji! You should be thanking me right now.

He leaned in close and whispered into Neji's ear.

" I am giving you what you want…a night of hot passion with the woman you can never have. It's a fair trade."

Neji spit in his face in response.

"Suit yourself Hyuuga, but you wont be able to fight it for much longer." And with that, he left, locking the door back behind him.

But Neji knew he was right. It wasn't as if he had never thought about Tenten this way before. He was in love with her, and under his emotionless, Hyuuga façade, he was still a man. The drug simply amplified his feelings of lust.

"Ahhhhh…" Tenten cried out.

Neji looked over at her and immediately regretted it. Tenten was arching off the bed and moaning provocatively. His erection was becoming more and more painful. He knew he should look away, but he couldn't.

"What are we going to do Neji?" Tenten asked between gasps, her breathing heavy.

"I don't know."

Neji closed his eyes and pressed his back to the cold wall as he sank to the floor. Needing to ease the throbbing, he slipped his hands into his pants. Better he touch himself than her.

"Ummmm…" Neji moaned as he wrapped his hands around his member and began to rub. This might actually work.

"It's so hot in here Neji!" Tenten groaned and sat up in the bed.

The sound of her voice caught Neji's attention, but what she was doing kept it there. Tenten had taken off her pants and was slowly unbuttoning her shirt.

"Tenten…stop…please…" His voice unsteady, "I can't take it."

But she wasn't listening to his plea. It was as if she was in another world.

"It's too hot." Reaching for the clasp at the front of her bra, she unhooked it, revealing two beautiful round breasts. They were better than anything he had ever imagined and when she began to touch them, he lost the last drop of control he had.

In an instant, he had Tenten pinned under him, his lips capturing hers in a violent kiss, releasing every desire he had ever held back. Tenten moaned and Neji took advantage, pressing his tongue into her mouth, needing to possess every inch of her.

Tenten could feel his desire pressing against her intimately. She knew she shouldn't give in, but she wanted him so badly. Was it wrong to have the only man she had ever loved, even for just one night?

As Neji placed his soft, warm lips to her neck, she ran her hands under his shirt and across his chest. Understanding her unspoken request, he sat up and allowed her to pull off his shirt. She leaned forward and seductively whispered into his ear.

"I want you…"

Neji growled, closing his eyes as he pressed Tenten against him, savoring the feel of her bare chest against his own. Pushing her back down into the bed, he flicked one rosy nipple with his wet tongue, and then sucked it into his mouth. Tenten moaned and bit her lip as he pleasured her. Neji smirked at the sight of it , loving the way he could make her body react. Not wanting to neglect the other breast, he moved to it next and repeated the action, massaging the other with his hand.

Neji wanted more. His hungry mouth released her breasts and began to trail soft, sensual kisses over her stomach as his hands roamed freely over her thighs. He hooked his thumbs under the sides of her panties, and pealed them off…kissing every inch of skin as it was revealed.

Tenten's pulse raced right along with her thoughts. He wasn't going to do what she thought he was…was he? She fought back a moan as she felt Neji's blunt fingers separate the folds of her sex, loving the feel of the cool air as it rushed in against her warm, wet core.

Neji stared intently as a thick liquid oozed out of his partner. He dipped his finger in it and rubbed it up across the rest of her soft flesh, but it wasn't enough…he wanted to taste her.

"Ahhhhh!" Tenten cried out as Neji's tongue explored her folds. When he found the sensitive nub hidden at the top, he bit it lightly with his teeth and circled it with his tongue…then sucked on it furiously. Still unsatisfied with her cries, he lifted his mouth from her sex.

"Say my name."

She met his gaze momentarily, seeing the lounging and need there just before he lowered his head again.

"Neji!" She cried out as he thrust his fat tongue deep into her core, probing her depths and pushing her over the edge. Tenten's body began to shake from the power of her orgasm, and she ran her hands through Neji's long hair as he licked up her juices.

He loved her taste, but he still wasn't satisfied. He needed to possess her completely...to know that she was his...if only for tonight. He quickly removed what was left of his clothing, finally releasing his large, throbbing member. He rubbed the tip against her wet cunt and entered her with one powerful thrust.

Tenten gasped, inhaling as Neji penetrated her. There was a brief sharp pain, but it was masked by pleasure. He slipped in and out of her easily, slowly at first…then with increasing speed. Moments later, Neji was thrusting into her wildly...all rational thought gone as the bed shook with each pump of his hips.

"Please…mmmm…." Neji murmured as he lost himself in the feel of her…he was so close to release. He looked deep into her eyes as he moved inside of her.

Tenten looked back at him in wonder. She had never seen this much emotion in him before...had never seen him lose all control. Forgetting the circumstances and not caring that she would probably regret it later, Tenten said the one thing that would push him over the edge...

"Neji…I love you."

"Mmmmm…oh god…Tenten!"

Neji exploded inside her, filling her with his seed as they climaxed together. Exhausted, he collapsed on top of her, the effects of the drugs causing him to feel incredibly sleepy. Afraid of hurting her, he shifted his weight, and rolled off of her onto his back. He stared at the ceiling, his thoughts jumbled. Tenten sighed, curled up against his side, and fell into a deep sleep.

"What have we done?" He asked softly.

He rolled back over and pulled Tenten into his arms, brushing her long hair out of her face. It was bittersweet. She had said she loved him, but the circumstances were all wrong, and for the first time in his life, he was completely unsure of what to do. Did she really mean what she had said, or was it just the drugs talking? Even more troubling was the thought that he might have gotten her pregnant...which would be exactly what the Stone Village wanted. She was now in danger because of him and he couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty.

"Tenten…How will we get out of this mess?"

* * *

Well...I've finished another chapter! Thanks for reading!

Oh...and one more thing...

Do you see that button at the bottom of the page? I dare you to click on it...come on...you know you want to! ;-)


	3. Escape

Time for chapter 3! Sorry for the long wait...I've been distracted by the Olympics! It's so addictive. I know I don't need to watch all of it...but I just can't seem to stop! Anyway...I did manage to write another chapter. This was my first time writing action, and I have to say...it was hard!

Once again a huge thank you goes out to 1upHero, Neji x Jeni, xX.(Combat)Flats.Xx, Lady Rayfire, Letydiaz, snowbells, missy, UcHiHaHyUuGa, Jade18, iluvrsubasa, and ness345 for either favorite-ing my story, putting it on your alert list, or giving me a wonderful review! It is really what inspires me to get back to the computer and keep writing.

As far as questions go...snowbells- you are halfway right about your idea. You will find out more in the next chapter. Missy- your question is answered in the very beginning of this chapter...so enjoy!

For those of you who decided not to read the lemon...here is what happened in chapter 2: They wake-up in a small metal room with no windows and only one door. Ryoki is the one who has drugged them. At first the drug works like tranquilizer, putting them to sleep so that he could capture them, then it works like an aphrodisiac so they will...well...you know! He does this so they will have a child that he can get byakugan from...as it would have no seal on it.

So...with that said...I hope you enjoy chapter 3!

* * *

Tenten felt the cold metal against her face and the front of her body as Neji pressed her into the wall from behind. His lips were on her neck as he gripped her wrists, releasing his passion into her more wildly than ever before. She moaned in ecstasy as Neji said her name…

"Tenten…"

She suddenly opened her eyes and almost cried. She was still trapped in the same room she had been in for what seemed like weeks…. or was it only days? She no longer knew for sure as all of her time was spent drugged or sleeping. Even in rest she found no relief, as she relived all of the things they had done in very vivid dreams.

"So you even dream about it?"

Neji. Oh god! He had heard her.

"Neji…it's not what you think…" she said…staring at a spot on the wall in front of her, unable to look at him. She felt his large, warm hand on her bare shoulder as he turned her to face him. His snow white eyes pierced timid brown ones.

" You have never been able to hide anything from me Tenten…What makes you think you would be able to now?"

He was right. She couldn't…especially now after sharing herself with him so intimately so many times. How would they ever get back to the way they were? She didn't know if they ever could. After a few silent minutes, she said the only thing she knew to say.

"How are we going to get out of this?"

She was changing the subject…running as fast as she could from the awkward situation they were in. Neji knew this, but he couldn't fault her for it. If she wasn't ready to deal with it, he wouldn't make her. If he were honest with himself, he wasn't really ready to deal with it either.

After their first night of drugged desire, they had vowed it would be their last, and refused to eat any food that was brought to them. If there was no way to get the poison in them, they could regain their strength and figure out how to escape. It seemed like a solid plan. Unfortunately, it was flawed. The Stone had anticipated this and had already developed another way to keep them ensnared. They simply changed the liquid aphrodisiac to a gas and pumped it in through the vents. There was no way to escape it. The two Konoha ninjas could go without food, but not without air. So what were they going to do?

" I really don't know Tenten…I don't have the strength to use byakugan right now. Even if I could, it wouldn't matter. The last time I tried using it in here, I couldn't see through any of these walls. I can't even tell what they're made of. They seem to know my weaknesses well."

Tenten stretched her legs out in the bed, loving the feel of the crisp sheets against her naked flesh, when she paused in mid thought...she was naked...and sharing a bed with Neji. A man she had known all her life. Her teammate, who probably had no feelings for her in that way. A man she admired admired and loved who was engaged to another woman.

Tenten, shaky and weak from lack of food, stumbled out of the bed, keeping the sheet wrapped tightly around her as she frantically searched for her clothes. Untangling them from Neji's, she attempted to dress herself under the sheet.

"It's a little late for modesty now." Neji said in the calmest voice she had ever heard him speak in. She paused briefly before continuing.

"I know, but it's all I have left."

"Then I will look the other way." And with that said, he closed his eyes and rolled onto his side to face the opposite wall as Tenten dressed.

* * *

Nothing...In any normal situation, it wouldn't be anything to be anxious about, but this was no normal situation.

It had been about three hours now. And nothing had happened. They had dressed and waited. Waited for something…anything at all to happen, but everything remained still. No one had even brought them food. This wasn't normal. Ryoki never waited this long to attempt to feed or re-drug them. It just didn't feel right.

"What could possibly be going on out there?" Neji asked as he paced the floor of their small room.

"I don't know. We've been missing for a while now…maybe back up has finally come for us…"

She was probably right. They were suppose to report back to Tsunade days ago and the Hyuuga clan wouldn't tolerate their leader being absent for such a long time. Were they finally going to escape? He didn't dare get his hopes up. Just as he had finished his thought, the lights began to flicker off and on… then went out completely, plunging them into darkness.

"Something is definitely wrong…" Neji trailed off as loud noises began to come from outside the door of their room.

BAM!! The door broke off and fell to the floor.

"Dynamic Entry!"

Although light from the intruder's flares had penetrated the darkness, they didn't need it's help to figure out who had made such an outrageous entrance into the room.

"Oh! Gai sensei! We have found them! The power of youth has prevailed! You are truly the best!"

"Yes Lee, but we must still escape. Neji…Tenten…do you have the energy to follow us out?"

"Hai!"

"Follow quickly then…we only have a few minutes left before this place falls in."

There was no time to feel relief…only time to run. Neji and Tenten followed their green spandex clad teammates out the door and down the hallway.

"Where are we exactly?" Tenten yelled to anyone in particular as they ran.

"We are actually in an underground apartment beneth the hotel you guys were staying in. We caught Ryoki. His body should be right around this corner…"

Lee stopped mid-sentence.

"Where is he? He could not have gone anywhere…he had no pulse! I checked!"

"Drugs are his specialty," Neji answered, "He has fooled you. Everyone be on the lookout…I still haven't regained full use of my byakugan yet."

"Too late Neji! I already have what I want!"

They turned to find a maniacal looking Ryoki holding a kunai to Tenten's throat.

"You didn't think I would be leaving without this did you? Not after you two had worked so hard to give me a Hyuuga child!"

"Neji…does he mean what I think he does?" Gai carefully asked. Neji only hung his head and nodded in reply. Gai took a deep breath…they were in deeper trouble than he thought.

"As much as I would love to chat with you, I have to run."

With one hand, he tightened his grip on Tenten and reached into his pocket with the other. Pulling out a small vile of blue liquid, he threw it up into the air. When it hit the ceiling, it exploded and filled the hallway with a sapphire smoke. Choking and gasping for air, the ninjas swatted at the cloud that was taking over everything. Moments later the smoke cleared, revealing a large opening to the first level of the hotel. Ryoki now stood on that very level, towering over them…still holding Tenten captive.

"Now... you guys are going to let me escape. No sudden moves…or she gets it." He pulled another blue vile out of his pocket and threw it down on them. As it exploded, the walls around them began to shake and fall apart.

"Everybody get down!" Neji screamed as the walls and ceiling crumbled in on top of them.

They all huddled together in the floor covering their heads with their hands as all types of debris rained down on them. When the last piece had fallen to the floor Neji looked up.

The hole was gone. The rocks and debris had made a menacing wall covering the path they had previously come down, as well as the exit Ryoki had created.

"Damn!" Neji screamed as he punched the wall with his fists, blood oozing out over his knuckles as the rocks broke the skin.

"Calm down Neji! We will find a way to get our youthful teammate back!" Lee said in an attempt to console him.

"Yes but first we must worry about getting ourselves out. We can not save Tenten if we are crushed under the weight of this building." Replied Gai.

He knew they were right, but he could no longer control his rage. After all they had been through, she still was not free. It wasn't fair…and it was all his fault. Why should he be the one to run free? He punched the wall again and again, loosing sight of everything around him except his anger and guilt, until he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Neji…"

It couldn't be. He turn to find only person who could calm his ragged nerves.

"Tenten…how?"

"Substitution technique. Oldest trick in the book. I heard him come up behind us, so I did the only thing I had enough energy to do…it was a long shot…but luckily, he was stupid enough to fall for it."

"How brilliantly youthful of you Tenten!" Lee exclaimed.

"I don't think he's going to be very happy when he finds out what I've done though, but Gai is right...we need to get out of here fast…we can talk about all of this later!"

Tenten reached down and clasped Neji's bloody hand in her own. She helped pull him up and flashed a playful smile at him.

"Time for our 'Dynamic Exit'!"

"You couldn't be more right my youthful flower!" Exclaimed Gai. "Let's go!" And with that, they headed towards the exit; escaping out the entrance hole that Gai and Lee had created to infiltrate the building.

As she watched that very building, which had been her cage for days, explode in a fiery blaze, she breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced over at Gai and Lee in their ridiculous spandex suits dancing around and celebrating the joys of youth. She chuckled under her breath. She was a member of Team Gai…and she had never been happier.

* * *

Ryoki smiled as he watched the explosion…they couldn't have escaped it. He laughed to himself. Even if they had, he had what he wanted.

"Now that I've taken care of your little friends…let's get moving!"

Tenten remained limp in his arms. Angered, he tightened his grip on her and pressed the kunai in a little deeper.

"I said WALK!" He screamed at her and pressed even harder with the kunai, drawing blood.

POOF!

When the smoke cleared, Ryoki couldn't believe what he saw…

It was a log. He had been duped.

"This isn't over Konoha!"

* * *

Well...that all for now! Thanks for reading!

Please, please, please review!!


	4. Uncomfortable Confrontations

Finally! I wrote another chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!

Really big thanks to Setsuna Hime, Missy, UcHiHaHyUuGa, iluvtsubasa, 1upHero, Neji x Jeni, jadedsiren, and ChimDee for their reviews!! Also, Thanks goes out to EverLastingRomance, Faraway Dawn, XxIchirin No HanaxX, and sana kurata74 for adding me to their favorites this time around. Thankyou also to cuttycat2, pettook, xdestinyxforeverx, and Setsuna Hime (a second time) for adding my story to your alert list this time around!

Now for questions!

Setsuna Hime- Yes, this is not the end…originally I wanted this to be a short story…but it just keeps growing…by chapter 2 it was already larger than the first story I ever wrote. There will probably be many more chapters, as long as I keep getting reviews.

Jadedsiren- Wow! I think that was the biggest review I have ever received! It made me so happy! You will get to see Tenten's thoughts this time around... actually in the very first part of this chapter. Not to spoil anything, but Tenten will be pregnant…so I am not just teasing you guys. I still haven't decided if I am going to jump ahead or not…I am kind of writing this off the top of my head. I have a vague idea of how I want things to end up, but as for the structure, it could go either way. As for pairings, I don't know if I should include more or not. I like lots of them…the main one being ShikaTema (obviously from the name I chose). I always hate it when I start reading a really good NejiTen story and run into another pairing that I don't like. I still read it, but I don't enjoy the story as much as I would have. I guess I worry that other readers wont like it as much if I include one…of course I could be wrong! Who knows…lol? Maybe other people will let me know what they think too!

Well…I think that was all of the questions this time around! Hope you enjoy reading chapter 4!

* * *

"You really messed up your hand Neji," Tenten commented when they had finally stopped to rest for the night. She had put out the two blankets and small pillows that Gai and Lee had given them, the two green beasts insisting that she and her teammate needed the rest more they did, and sat down to observe the stoic Hyuuga. He wasn't that far from her, resting his back against a tree and meditating as he usually did on missions or during training. It brought old memories back to the surface…memories of their genin days…

_(Flashback)_

"_Why do you always meditate Neji? Tenten asked as they both waited in their usual training ground for their other two energetic teammates to arrive. She didn't really expect an answer from him. Nothing ever seemed to break his concentration when he was in this particular state of focus. After a few moments of silence, she rose from her spot on the ground and began to gather the small metal weapons she had been throwing. _

"_Mediation calms the nerves and allows one to refocus."_

_Tenten stopped what she was doing…he had actually answered her…and his answer was as baffling as the fact that he had even bothered to acknowledge her question. Why would Hyuuga Neji have any need to practice skills he already had? Everyone knew the Hyuuga family never let anything get them ruffled. She decided to press her luck again._

"_But you are so calm and focused already…why would you need to practice it more?" _

_His eyelids slowly lifted and his white gaze shifted to meet hers. _

"_If I can't refocus when I am calm and relaxed, how will I ever be able to do so in stressful situations when my emotions are raw? Ninjas do not get the luxury of emotions…you would do well to remember that Tenten."_

_(End of Flashback)_

His words had stung that day, but she knew he had only said them to get her to re-evaluate her views. Looking at him now, his eyes closed and his long hair shining in the moonlight, she could discern that he was desperately trying to regain his calm. Her gaze traveled down to his right hand, the knuckles caked with dried blood…now the only physical proof of his loss of the emotional control his clan prided themselves in.

It sill perplexed her. She had never seen him react to a situation with that kind of violent desperation. Was it for her? It couldn't have been…Neji would never let himself go for that reason …would he? If he had, it wasn't because he had any kind of romantic feelings for her…she was sure of that. Why would someone of his status, abilities, and looks have any interest in someone like her…a woman with no spectacular blood line abilities or family connections…she didn't even know what her last name was. No…it was pointless to get her hopes up…Neji saw her only as a close friend, and that is how it would always stay. But even as she thought this, memories of their nights of passion flooded her mind…Neji's body on top of hers, filling her to the core as the weight of his body pressed her into the soft mattress…his eyes closed in ecstasy as he cried out her name in release. She shook her head…she shouldn't dwell on what could never be again. He had been drugged…it hadn't meant anything. He was engaged for god's sake! She had to take her mind off of it, find something else to occupy her time…and more importantly… her thoughts.

Grabbing some water and ointment out of Lee's bag, as well as some bandages, she walked over to Neji and knelt down beside him. Gently taking his raged hand in her own, she began to clean and bandage it.

At the feel of her soft hands on his own, Neji's concentration was broken. Luckily he had managed to block out her previous comment and continued to meditate…something that he needed to do more desperately than he ever had before. His emotions were raw…the rawest they had ever been in his life…and she was the cause. He had completely lost himself at the thought of losing her…it was unsettling. He was a Hyuuga, and no matter what the situation was or his feelings, he was supposed to stay calm and on course. The throbbing in his right hand only served to remind him of his weakness…a weakness he had let her see. And now, the feel of her tender flesh against his as she doctored his hand only caused another throbbing…a sexual one... one that brought up memories of yet another weakness he had given into. What did she think of him now? He had taken her innocence. How could she ever forgive him for that? He didn't deserve her gentle touch.

Yet, despite his guilt, he couldn't stop himself from watching as her long, thin fingers wrapped his hand tenderly in white cloth. Her lengthy hair had been pulled back up into her trademark buns. He longed to reach out and release them again…he could picture it. Her long chocolate locks would cascade down her back and across her shoulders…his hands would reach out and he would run his fingers through it…he would cup her check in his hand and slowly bring his lips to her own, kissing her... slowly first...then with more passion, releasing every desire for her he had ever held back...telling her his feelings without words. He would press her down into the grass…and then…

"Neji, will things ever be the same between us again?"

The sound of her worried voice had stopped his thoughts just in time…bringing him back to reality…one where he was engaged, but not to the woman he loved. He looked at his teammate who was the object of his desire and torment. She wasn't looking at him, but she still held his hand in her own.

"I don't know Tenten," But he knew in his heart that it would never be. His emotions and yearning for her ran too deep for him to ever turn back. After a few moments of tense silence, she slowly stood up…her gaze on anything but him.

"I'm going to get some rest…goodnight Neji…"

With that said, she returned to her makeshift bed and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, letting her jumbled emotions help her body give in to her physical exhaustion.

Neji remained where he was and closed his eyes to sleep, knowing he would be unable to control himself if he slept on the blanket she had laid out for him. It was far too close to her. The temptation would be too great and he no longer trusted himself. If only the morning would come sooner.

* * *

"It's good to have you all back safely, although I wish it were under better circumstances."

Tsunade looked onto the four battered ninjas standing before her. Although team Gai's mission had been a failure, she was glad to have them all back in one piece.

"When I had received the invitation from Lightning Country, I knew something wasn't right, but as unstable as our treaty was, I couldn't refuse the invitation… it would have caused more distrust. My fears were verified when you failed to report back to us. I knew then that something had gone wrong. Luckily, Gai and Lee were in the area on a separate mission and were able to get to you in time..."

As Tsunade's voice filled the room, everyone else remained quiet. It had been awkward since the mission report had been given. Neji had not specified any clear details about their 'activities', but everyone was aware of what had actually happened. Tsunade's last words were only half true, and they all knew it.

"Gai! Lee! You are dismissed. I would like to discuss the mission with Neji and Tenten more thoroughly."

"Hai!"

The door to the hokage's office slammed shut. Tenten knew what was coming and took a deep breath to prepare herself. No matter how embarrassing this was, she had to remain professional.

"I have never been a tactful person, so I am just going to ask this bluntly…how many times were you forced to have sex?"

Tenten's eyes widened in shock. Even though she had known that the question was coming, she was completely unprepared for the direct manner in which it had come. She glanced over at Neji and found him staring intently at the floor, his face unreadable. Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes and let her head drop back as she released it, biting her bottom lip between her teeth. Still, no one answered.

"How many times? More than once I'm assuming…"

Neji nodded. Finally getting some type of reaction, Tsunade pressed on.

"More than three…?"

Neji nodded again. Tsunade began to fear the worst, and as awkward as this conversation was, she had to continue. There was no way to tell the probability of pregnancy without this information.

"More than five…?"

Neji took a deep breath and finally looked up. He met her eyes as briefly, then dropped them again as guilt overtook him. He answered her quietly.

"Too many to count…"

Tsunade closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with her hands, her elbows resting on her desk. This was far worse than she had imagined. It was almost impossible for Tenten to come out of this without being pregnant. She sighed and opened her eyes, shifting her attention from Neji to Tenten. His teammate was no longer focused on anything around her and her checks were red with embarrassment. Tsunade knew the young woman was completely mortified, so she did the only thing she knew to do to relieve her of it.

"Tenten, I would like for you to go down to the hospital so that we can check you for injuries. Since it has only been a week, it is too soon to tell if you are pregnant. I will need you to come in again in few more days. Sakura will schedule some times with you. You are dismissed."

"Hai." Tenten replied quietly and headed for the door, eager to escape the situation, even if only for a few moments.

When the door was closed, Tsunade continued.

"Have you spoken to the Hyuuga elders yet?

"No, I came here first."

In attempt to ease the beginnings of a migraine, Tsunade poured some sake into a small cup on her desk, then threw the whole thing back in one gulp. Hiashi wasn't going to be happy about this. Neji seemed to understand it too, from the body language he was giving off. She knew it wouldn't help to hide the facts from him.

"I can't run the test yet, but you do realize that it's almost certain that Tenten will be carrying your child…" It was more of a statement than a question, but Neji answered her anyway.

"Yes." Neji knew what she was implying. His clan would not be happy about it's new leader, who was currently engaged, knocking up his female teammate…even if it hadn't been under normal circumstances. Hiashi might be more sympathetic to it, but the other elders would not be.

"Then I need for you to handle the situation immediately. I suggest you speak to Hiashi in private. Let him deliver the message to the elders. Although you may be the clan leader now, he has much more experience in dealing with them."

"Hai."

"Then you are dismissed. Oh! And one more thing, make sure you have someone look at that hand."

"Of course hokage-sama."

As he left, Tsunade picked up the mission report. Leaning back in her desk chair she began to examine it while running all of the possibilities through her head. She understood why they wanted Neji…it was byakugan, obviously. What didn't make sense was Tenten's role. Why had they chosen her? She was a fabulous ninja, but her skills were nowhere close to Neji's. They obviously weren't trying to create the ultimate ninja…so why not use someone from their own village?

"Shizune! Bring me Tenten's birth records now!"

* * *

It was a long walk back to the Hyuuga complex... one spent deep in thought. There was no real way to tell how this would all turn out…and that was the worst part of it all…not knowing. If it only affected him, he wouldn't care, but now Tenten was involved…and more than likely, the child that they had created together was as well. Thousands of thoughts ran through his head all at once. What would his clan do with them? What would become of his arranged marriage? How could he go through with it and still be an honorable man? If she were pregnant, he knew that he couldn't. He would never leave her to raise a child on her own...but what if she wouldn't have him? What if she didn't care about him enough to be with him? It was all too much to think about.

As he entered the main building, other members of the clan stopped him countless times, bowing and speaking to him briefly in respect. "Neji-sama…welcome back," or "So nice to see you Neji-sama...we were so worried." Neji-sama…haha…what a joke. He was their leader, but he was no more in control of his own life than he had been as a branch member. He actually felt like he had less control.

Reaching the door of the one man who always seemed to be deciding his fate, he balled his hand into a tight fist and knocked.

"Enter!"

He opened the door to reveal his uncle sitting in his desk chair, the late afternoon sun pouring through the large window behind him, bathing the whole room in a bright, yellow hue.

"Neji! I'm glad you've returned safely. Please sit down…I have a feeling that we have much to discuss." He said as he gestured to the chair on the opposite side of him. Neji complied with his wishes and soundlessly took a seat. He could tell from his uncle's tone, that this wasn't going to go well.

"If it had been up to the elders, or even me for that matter, you would not have gone on this mission. However, Tsunade insisted…and we could not go against her wishes. She assured us that you would check in multiple times so that we could be informed of the mission's progress, as well as your safety. As soon as you failed to report in, the clan was in uproar. We feared the worst…we had already lost your father to the Hidden Cloud, we couldn't repeat it again with you."

He paused from a moment to examine his nephew. To any outsider, he would appear to be completely composed and in control of every emotion he had, but Hiashi could see through him clearly. He could see the worry etched on his face…could see the nervous tension and guilt eating away at his insides. Something had gone terribly wrong, and he had a fairly clear idea of what that was.

"What happened Neji? We both know that killing you wouldn't have gotten them any closer to the secret of byakugan…so what was it that they wanted?"

Neji met his uncle's stare for the first time, then answered him firmly.

"My child."

* * *

One more chapter down!! From here on out, updates might take a bit longer. School starts up again for me on Monday, so how much work I have to do will determine how fast I can put out chapters.

As always…thank you so much for reading and if you have the time…press that button at the bottom of the screen and tell me what you think! I really do love to hear from you guys!


	5. A Future Unknown

Yeay! I finally got another chapter out! School takes up so much of my time now so it's hard to get any writing done.

I got so many wonderful reviews this time!! To xdestinyxforeverx, UcHiHaHyUuGa, Matahari, jadedsiren, shizune99, Luv4Life, RosalieAnne, Under a Rain Cloud, siny, Cataclysmic Tears, SasuxSakufan, ChimDee(3 reviews…you rock three times as much!), Princess Pika, MoshiMisho, and MsADRiENNE…you guys totally rock!

Also another big thank you goes out to Stop reading my pen name, iluvtusbasa, Shizunee99, Luv4Life, Gabz978, RosalieAnne, Soccerfanatic16, siny, Princess Pika, amatenshi, MoshiMisho, D'Tensai, XxichinrinNoHannaxX, and Jadedsiren for favorite-ing my story, putting me on your alert list, putting me on your favorite author list, or any combination of those three!

Thank you also to those of you who are following along with the story silently too!

Now for questions!

ChimDee- Hurray for long reviews! Don't worry about them being all over the place …I loved getting so much feed back! It is what keeps me writing! I actually helped motivate me to find the time two write this chapter! Now for your questions…About Tenten…Good guess, but there probably wont be a blood limit for Tenten…it is something else……more along the lines of your other thought of something weird from her past! I still am unsure if I should do a time skip or not…mostly because I am unsure if I can keep the story exciting if I do. It might be interesting to try though…time will only tell!

jadesiren- Another long review! Thank you so much! As for whether or not the baby will have a curse seal on it…I'm not telling! (but only because I haven't decided yet)lol

Matahari- Will the engagement be taken out of the way? Hmm…well I hate to say now because you will find out some stuff about that in this chapter…but more than likely…yes.

Now…on with chapter 5!

* * *

"My child…they want my child."

The silence in the room was unsettling. Neji watched as Hiashi closed his eyes and hung his head, letting his chin drop almost to his chest. Bringing his right hand to his face, he massaged the tense muscles between his eyes, shaking his head from one side to the other in one last, futile attempt to alleviate the pressure that was quickly building in that very spot. His nephew's words reverberated as thousands of scenarios flooded his mind, each one equally disturbing. Was it just as he had feared? Had he been forced to commit unspeakable acts with various women to produce such an output? And if it was true, how could he even bring himself to ask about it? Without even looking at Neji, he walked slowly over to the large window behind his desk and gazed out onto the courtyard below, collecting his thoughts.

For the longest time, he stood motionless in that position, almost as if time had stopped, suspending them indefinitely in an uncomfortable moment of uncertainty…Neji unsure of his future…Hiashi unsure of what action to take…both unsure of what to say to the other. Just when Neji thought he could no longer bare the silence, his uncle spoke.

"How many women were forced on you?"

Although Hiashi's voice was despondent, he still maintained his calm outer shell. His years as clan leader had taught him that letting his emotions leak out would only serve to cloud his judgment…which he desperately needed in this situation. It no longer mattered to him what the method of coercion was, only how many Hyuugas could potentially be in the hands of the hidden cloud.

"Only one…"

Hiashi breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe things weren't as bad as he had originally thought. If it was only one, then there was a much higher chance of recovering control over the situation. However, his respite was cut short when he noticed the look of remorse on his nephew's face.

"It was Tenten…"

For several moments, no one said anything. Then reluctantly, Neji continued.

"They released some sort of drug into the air. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep my hands off her…it was as if it intensified every feeling of desire I have ever had. I lost track of what time it was…what day it was…of how many times I had violated her…" The young Hyuuga's voice trailed off, his guilt stifling his ability to continue to speak.

Neji's feelings for Tenten were nothing new to Hiashi. He knew long before his nephew ever did that Neji was falling in love with his compassionate female teammate. From the very beginning, the two spent hours sparing together…pushing each other's limits. Neji motivated her to increase her abilities as a ninja, and Tenten persuaded him to open up and let go. Though they seemed unaware of it, they had found their own strength in each other, and he hadn't need byakugan to see it. But despite it being so clearly obvious to him, he had never encouraged the match. As much as it pleased him to see Neji happy, he knew that the clan would not approve of Tenten. She had no family connections or special abilities that would make her stand out to the elders as a suitable match for the genius of the Hyuuga clan. It would be much better for Neji to ignore his feelings for the girl.

But now they were grown, and the circumstances were far different. Neji was engaged…and if Tenten turned out to be pregnant, there would be no way to hide it from his fiancé.

"How soon will you know Tenten's condition?"

Neji took a deep breath and replied.

"Tsunade said that it would be a few more days before she could run any tests on her…but the chances of her not being pregnant are very slim…my child is probably growing inside her as we speak."

His child. He knew he should feel badly about it. Although he could never experience it, he knew it would be a very scary thing for Tenten to carry a child when she hadn't planned on getting pregnant. Especially in this situation…most people didn't have babies with their friends. Sure, he loved her so much more than that…but what if she didn't feel that way about him? She deserved to have a child with someone she loved desperately…someone she loved as much as he loved her. But even though he knew all of this, he couldn't help but feel slightly exhilarated at the thought of a small piece of him growing inside of her.

His thoughts were cut short though, as Hiashi began to speak.

"In a way, I am relieved that it was Tenten…since she is a leaf ninja, the cloud will have no claim on the child. However, this will change the dynamics of your engagement. I seriously doubt that any woman would agree to one in this situation…and even if she did, her family certainly would not."

Neji knew he was right…no one in their right mind would willingly involve themselves in a situation like this one…but the disappointment that should have followed that thought never came. In fact, he was relieved by the thought…after all… he had never wanted the marriage to begin with. Maybe now he could have his chance to be with Tenten…if fate would only work in his favor.

"I will have to inform the elders of this immediately…who knows how this will be dealt with…." He paused momentarily before continuing.

"It isn't just our blood limit that is at stake here…"

"I know."

Neji bowed in respect to his uncle and walked towards the door. As his hand closed around the knob, Hiashi grabbed him by the arm and stopped him.

"For now, do not inform anyone of Tenten's current situation. If by some chance she is not pregnant, we don't want news this incident leaking out to your fiancé."

"Understood."

And with one last bow to Hiashi, he walked out.

* * *

_Thuwnk_

_Thuwnk_

_Thuwnk_

That was the sound Tenten's weapons made as they embedded themselves in a nearby tree. Although some would find it unnerving, the sound had always been a comfort to her. At an early age she had found herself sneaking out at all hours of the day…or night…to her team's training ground whenever she was troubled. Tonight was no different.

If she were honest with herself, it wasn't just the sound and motion of hurling weapons as hard as she could that calmed her…it was who was always there waiting for her…with his powder white eyes and his comforting words.

_Thuwnk_

She threw another kunai at the tree, hitting her mark perfectly, and reminisced. It still sounded the same as it had that night.

_(Flashback)_

_Tenten fought back tears as she launched as many weapons as she could at the tree in front of her, which already looked like a pincushion. She was so disappointed in herself. She had trained for so long…and for what? She hadn't even made it into the final rounds of the chunin exams. _

"_Tenten…what are you doing out here so late?_"

_She was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she barely even heard the question. It must have been her imagination…no one would be out here at this time of night. Picking up three more kunai, she threw them, this time much harder than the last set to make up for her lack of concentration, but the results were different. All three whizzed past the tree and disappeared into the darkness beyond. It was useless to try…she was useless. She dropped to her knees and cried, burring her face in her hands. _

"_What is wrong Tenten?"_

_She froze…her tears stopping as she felt a hand on her shoulder... She knew the sound of that voice anywhere. _

"_Neji…" _

_He knelt down in front of her, placing his hand under her chin and raising her gaze to meet his. Wiping the salty drops of water from her tear stained checks, he questioned her again._

"_What do you think you are doing out here? You are not suppose to be out of the hospital yet…what is the meaning of all this?"_

"_I'm a failure Neji! Just leave me here. There is no need to take me back… I am no use to Konoha even when I'm well!"_

"_That's not true-"_

"_It is too! What would you even know about it anyway? You've never failed…you were the genius of our class! The only reason Lee and I were put on your team was to even things out. Your abilities make up for our lack of skill." _

_He was quiet for a moment. Tenten was certain it was because her words had been true, so she continued._

"_Your skills out weigh mine…why do you even train with me? It's just a matter of time before you no longer need me."_

_Tenten dropped her gaze to the dusty ground below her, overcome by emotion. Why had she said that? What did he think of her now? But the words he said next shocked her._

"_That will never happen…because I need your friendship. You have no idea how it feels when people look at you and only see your abilities. That's what it's like to be a genius. No one wants to be your friend because you are you…they're only interested in what you can do for them. My own family even treats me that way…the seal on my forehead is proof!"_

_He paused, as if unsure of what to say next, then continued. _

"_Team Gai maybe be lame sometimes, but I know that you guys have got my back. I wouldn't trade that for the world."_

_And that was when it happened. Tenten officially fell in love with him. _

"_Thank you, Neji…" she whispered, but was unsure if he had even heard._

"_Come on, let's get you back to the hospital."_

_Lifting her to her feet, he wrapped her arm around his neck, placed his own around her waist, and helped her walk back to the hospital. _

_(End Flashback)_

That had been so many years ago, but she still kept the memory close to her heart. If anyone had told her then that things would end up the way they were now, she wouldn't have believed them.

_Thuwnk_

Her kunai hit its mark again, as it always did. It seemed like the only thing in her life that was consistent. She stood motionless in front of her target. She had exhausted all of her arsenal and was left only with her jumbled emotions. But before she could collect her thoughts…as well as her weapons…she felt the heat of someone's breath on the back of her neck.

"So…you still do this when you're upset?"

"Neji…what are you doing here?"

"That doesn't mater. What's on your mind right now?"

He gently rubbed her arms, moving his hands up and down across her smooth skin. For a few moments, she basked in the sensation…momentarily forgetting what she had been trying to say. But their circumstances couldn't be forgotten for long.

"What do you think is on my mind, Neji?"

Tenten's voice was quiet, so much so that he barely heard her. Despite that, he knew what she meant…so he did the only thing he could think to do in the current situation…he changed the subject.

"Let's train."

"What?"

"Let's train. It's been so long since we have…it could be like old times…"

She didn't think things would ever be like old times again. She knew he didn't think that they could…he had told her so. But she had missed him so much…missed what they used to have. If she could pretend that the world was right again, even for a moment, then who could blame her for indulging?

"Alright."

She walked several feet in front of her to collect her discarded weapons. When she had readied herself, she gave a nod to Neji and disappeared into the trees.

"Byakugan!"

The veins around Neji's eyes materialized and his irises became even whiter. Instantly, he began to search the surrounding areas for Tenten's hiding place. It would be tough to find her…she knew his weak spot. Fortunately for him, he knew hers too…she was far too impatient. All he had to do was keep moving…eventually she would get restless and make her move. She couldn't stay in his blind spot forever.

As if on cue, a there was a brief rustling of leaves and a rain of steal weapons from the sky.

"Kaiten!"

Neji's body spun violently, deflecting all of them. As he finished his last rotation, he felt Tenten jump down from the trees to land behind his back. Just as she was about to strike, he turned and captured her hands in one of his own, stealing her own weapon to use against her.

Tenten knew what was coming next…she had been defeated. It would be only seconds before Neji forced her to surrender. She closed her eyes…but it never came.

At the sound of her weapon dropping to the ground, she opened her eyes to find Neji slowly backing away from her. His eyes were wide as he stared at her midsection.

"What's wrong?" She asked…his reaction troubling her more by the second.

"We can't train anymore…my god! What if something had happened!"

"What are you talking about Neji? You aren't making any sense!"

He sat down on a nearby stump and ran his fingers through his hair before he answered her.

"I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier…"

She walked over to kneel in front of him in an attempt to make eye contact with him, although he was so lost in thought that he still wouldn't look at her.

"What didn't you notice Neji?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat, and then answered her.

"You have two chakra systems right now…"

Tenten tried desperately to process what Neji was saying to her. Two chakra systems…that was impossible! People only had two chakra systems when…

"What do you mean?"

He paused for so long that she didn't think he was going to answer. Finally he looked up at her, wetted his lips with his tongue, and gave his explanation.

"You're pregnant."

* * *

One more chapter down! Again…the next one might not be up for a while because school sucks, but I do hope that you enjoyed reading this one! And if you did…please let me know by hitting the little button at the bottom of your screen!

See you guys next time!


	6. The Truth Revealed

Another Chapter!! I apologize for the wait! I have had to write tons of papers for school recently…and they sort of took up the time that I normally use for working on this story…but not to worry! They are all finished now and I have finally finished another chapter.

You guys keep amazing me…I had over 20 reviews this time! That is just unbelievable! I LOVE you guys… So Super big thank you to sana kurata74, UcHiHaHyUuGa, rao hyuga 18, SasuxSakufan, Merciless Ruby, shizune99, Fuzei, Under a Rain Cloud, Wolf, weaponmistressbunny, dreamwaters, Lilyflower-314, Num.1 Hyperactive Kunoichi, MoshiMisho, hushpuppy1, jadedsiren(2 reviews!), Nocturnal Dream, milee chan, Hexxgirl, nomorekimchi, Amieku(5 reviews!), debilicious, jou-chan , Alina Scharwyn, and Jennichan…you guys totally rock my world!

Also, another big thank you also to Toko-Nozomi, nobodysangel-nobodysfool, weaponmistressbunny, dreamwaters, aelita5, Lilyflower-314, Num.1 Hyperactive Kunoichi, reafu, Nocturnal Dream, Hexxgirl, hushpuppy1, 00mightyaddict99, debilicious, maimomo, sha xd, deathgaurdian, blondie911awsomeness, and CandySox for putting me on your alert list, favorite-ing my story, putting me on your favorite authors list, or any combination of those three!

Question time!

jadedsiren- As for Neji's "Fiance", I don't think she will be making appearance...but it could change...Who knows! I could see how it would work well, but then the story would be even longer than what I have planned at the moment (Of course it already keeps growing... every chapter I write a little too much and get myself further behind where I would like to be with the story!) And I am so glad you love my shot outs! I work hard on these too...lol. But seriously, I really do appreciate all my reviews and I always look forward to your long ones. It's so nice to see what everyone thinks about things!

Amieku- Ryoki will be showing back up again, but not for a few more chapters...as for how he will...I don't know yet. And I also apologize to you again for not getting the chapter out quickly after you so nicely said that you weren't worried about me updating...so sorry!

Thanks again to everyone and thanks also to my silent readers!

Now enjoy chapter 6...

* * *

"You're pregnant."

In that moment, Tenten's world went still. She tried desperately to refocus as Neji's words sunk in…her emotions muddled to a point where she couldn't even think clearly. The world she knew had changed so drastically in the last few weeks…as if she were living in some alternate version of her life. She was no fool…she knew that pregnancy was a possibility after all that they had been through, but she had pushed those thoughts aside…it was too much to think about. She loved Neji with all her heart and would love their child just as much, but would Neji love them back? Was it what he even wanted? His family certainly wouldn't be happy about it, and god only knew how his fiancé would react…it was just too much to process. So she had clung to consistency and had tried in vain to keep things as they were…pretending that everything would go back to normal with a little time. But his two words had burst her bubble and sent her crashing back down to reality…a world where her happiness was canceled out by the unknown…leaving her mind completely blank and overloaded. The sound of Neji's desperate voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Tenten…please say something…"

He was right. She should say something…anything…but what was there to say? I love you desperately? No she could never confess that to him. She would only embarrass herself…he would never have feelings for her. Oh she knew he wouldn't be cruel to her, but he wouldn't be able to return the sentiment…and the last thing she wanted right now was Neji's pity. Should she lie to him? Act as if she felt nothing for him…that she would be okay on her own? No...she knew better than to try something like that. Neji's eyes would see through her lie. So she remained silent, her gaze blankly fixed on the ground as if she were in a trance.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her quietly.

"Everything and nothing…all at once."

Tenten slowly sank to her knees as the weight of the situation crashed down on her. Sensing her movement, Neji rushed over to her side, taking her into his arms and holding her tightly as she cried.

"Oh god Neji! What are we going to do?"

"Shhhh…it's going to be okay," he said as he ran his fingers through her hair a rubbed her back with his other hand. She felt so good in his arms…so right, but he wondered if things really would be okay. He had gotten her pregnant…how could everything possible be all right? He would have to report to Hiashi within the next few hours. A meeting of the elders would be called, and he knew how it would end…marriage. With a child involved, there would be no other option. Byakugan must be protected all costs, even if it meant a hasty marriage to someone the elder's deemed unsuitable. Although the thought of marriage to her trilled him, it also filled him full of guilt. He had already forced a child on her, how could he force himself on her too?

Pulling her back from him, he wiped the tears from her checks and cupped her face in his hands. How did they ever end up this way? Who would have thought that the great Hyuuga Neji would fall in love with his teammate? He looked in to her chocolate eyes and got lost for a moment in their beauty…then…remembering his purpose…searched them desperately for any glimpse into her soul.

"Tenten…" he whispered. He would make everything all right…he had too. He may not be what she wanted, but he would love her with all he had to make up for it. Hopefully, it would be enough. But as Neji looked into her eyes, he knew that it wouldn't be. It would never be enough for him…he wanted so much more than that…he needed her to need him. Their faces were so close. He could feel her breath on his lips…could feel his control slipping. He longed to kiss her…to feel her response again…to hear her cry his name…to make her love him. He watched as her tongue darted out of her mouth softly to wet her plump lips... he could take no more. Slowly…hesitantly…he began to close the gap between them…

"Neji-san! Tenten-san!"

Neji inwardly cursed at the sound of Shizune's echoing through the forest and snapping them back into reality. Of all the times to interrupt, it had to be then. Damn! He had been so close! Who knew when he would have the courage to try again? At the sound of her approach, the two of them scrambled to untangle themselves from each other's arms before she came into view.

"I'm sorry to bother you two…especially at this hour," she said between breaths, "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but Tsunade needs you both in her office immediately."

"Did she happen to explain why?" Neji asked a little rudely, still frustrated slightly over the disruption.

"I'm afraid she didn't, but she is in one of her moods. I suggest you report now!"

"Hai! We'll be there as soon as we can."

* * *

"You two must be wondering why I called you into my office so suddenly." Tsunade stated as she stared back at the two young shinobi standing quietly in front of her cluttered desk. Taking a swift shot of sake, and slamming the small cup back down, she continued.

"I have come across some interesting things concerning you Tenten."

The sound of her name brought Tenten to attention. She watched closely as Tsunade downed another shot of sake. This couldn't be good. Tsunade only drank this heavily on the job when things were complicated and she knew it wouldn't be any better when she found out her current condition.

"You see…ever since your return from the mission, I have had several unanswered questions. I knew that Lightning has always wanted to get their hands on the secret of byakugan…so it made complete sense to me that they would try to steal it from Neji, the pride of the Hyuuga clan. What I couldn't figure out was why they wanted you, Tenten."

Neji clinched his fists at the slight affront to his teammate.

"Calm down Neji…I didn't mean it as an insult…look at this rationally. Tenten is not from a powerful family and doesn't have any particular blood limit ability. I didn't make any logical sense to use her, when they could have used any of the women from their own country."

"Where are you going with this?" Neji asked inquiringly.

"Patience Neji, I'm getting to that. After your return, I began looking through Tenten's records and came to a startling discovery," Tsunade answered as she shifted through the records covering her desk. Leaning forward, she held out one particular paper in her hand towards Tenten.

"I think you might want to take a look at this."

Reaching out, Tenten took the paper from her and looked it over carefully, not believing what she read.

"That is a copy of your birth certificate…the real one. I almost missed it. It reads a bit differently from the copy you have, doesn't? The discrepancy between the two is slight, but one that has a huge impact on the facts. All of your mother's information is accurate…however…you'll notice that it's the information about your father that is completely different."

Neji glanced at his teammate who was still staring at the paper in her hands.

"In what way?" he asked.

But Tenten answered him instead.

"The only birth certificate I have ever seen states that my father was unknown, but this one gives his name. Are you sure this is real?"

"Positive…but I'm afraid there is more. After finding his name, I tried to pull up any records that we had on both your mother and father. I had no trouble finding your mother's information…you father's however, wasn't available. After more research and a lot of asking around, I managed to find out why…he was from a different hidden village."

Tenten stopped to think this over…a different hidden village? How was that even possible? Why would that even be important? It only took a few more seconds of processing before Tenten began to realize the significance of what Tsunade was trying to tell them.

"He was a cloud ninja, wasn't he?" Tenten asked…it was more of a statement than a question. She had wondered for herself why they had chosen her …now she knew. They planed on claiming byakugan through her blood ties to their country. She listened quietly as Tsunade continued.

"When I discovered his origins, I started looking through your mother's records more thoroughly as well…trying to find more information on your real father and what had happen between the two of them. It seems that she had met him on a mission many years back. They fell deeply in love with each other and eventually approached the current hokage for permission to be married. Minato-san sympathized with their situation, but the final decision was not his to make. He urged the elders to allow the marriage, but it was in vain. Their request was declined, the elders insisting that the ties between the two villages were too loose. On top of it all, both countries were not willing to risk giving up any of their trained shinobi."

"But there is more, isn't there?" Neji asked as he began to see where this was all going.

"I wish I could say there wasn't, but I can't. The affair didn't end there. The two young lovers continued to meet each other. It wasn't long before she became pregnant, and when she did, he convinced her to run away with him. They didn't make it far past the boundaries of Konoha…and he was killed accidentally in the process. Your mother was never the same after that. She blamed herself for his death. It worsened after you were born…your mother claimed that looking at you only reminded her of him. Slowly, she began giving up on life, refusing to eat or to even come out of her room. She died shortly after that."

Tenten didn't know what to think. It wasn't how she had ever pictured her parents. It pained her to know that they died so tragically. She was glad to finally know whom they were, but it was still shocking that she had grown up knowing so little about them and their lives. She couldn't help but feel a little cheated.

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this? How could they not tell me about my parents?"

"The whole relationship was taboo. The fire country decided that it was better if no one knew it had ever happened… mostly for the same reasons we have to keep it quiet now…"

"Byakugan," Neji interrupted, "They want to have some solid claim to it…. and they have reason to now…Tenten is pregnant."

There was a brief pause of silence as they waited for Tsunade's reaction. She leaned back in her chair, sighed, and rubbed her forehead in frustration.

"I figured as much…it was a slim chance that she wasn't." She poured herself another shot of sake…draining the cup as quickly as she had all of the others. "Does Hiashi know yet?"

"As of right now…no. We just found out ourselves a little while ago."

"That doesn't need to be delayed then. Now that we know Tenten's background, she needs to have a more solid connection to the Hyuuga family…the sooner the better. We need to lessen their claim to her and the child."

"Hai! " Neji replied quickly. "We'll leave now."

* * *

Tenten's stomach churned as she waited outside of Hiashi's office. She had never been around any of the Hyuuga family members that much…other than Neji and Hinata…and didn't quite know what to expect. On the brief occasions when she was around his uncle, he always seemed to possess that same stoic quality that Neji had…only ten times as much…making it difficult to know exactly what he was thinking. She chuckled under her breath…at least she knew where Neji got it.

"What's so funny?" he asked with one eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Nothing…I'm just nervous."

She gasped slightly when she felt Neji's hand take her own. How could something so simple make her heart race so fast? Just the feel of his skin against hers was intoxicating…even in small amounts. When he squeezed on it gently, she turned her head to meet his gaze, but it wasn't focused on her. He stared at the door in head of him in anticipation.

"Don't be nervous. You don't need to be..."

There wasn't much time to think over his words. Almost as soon as they had come out of his mouth, the door to his uncle's office opened, revealing it's very regal owner. Still holding her hand, Neji led her into the room to stand directly in front of Hiashi's desk. He gave her hand one last squeeze…telling her without words to be strong.

"Good evening. It's nice to see you again Tenten…although I wish it were under better circumstances…and since you two are visiting me so late in the evening, I can only assume that things aren't well…and considering the talk I had with Neji earlier…I am fairly certain I know why. Still… I would like to hear it from you."

Neji opened his mouth to answer, but was shocked when Tenten beat him to it.

"Hiashi-sama…I'm pregnant with Neji's child."

Neji couldn't have been more proud of her…it had taken guts to say that to his uncle. He knew it had. The Hyuuga family wasn't exactly known for it's compassionate and understanding nature…more like it's cold and haughty one. Yet despite her nerves, Tenten had stood up, stared it in the face, and said what she needed to. He smiled to himself as he listened to her calmly tell his uncle everything she had found out from Tsunade… and as he did, he wondered why she always doubted herself. Every time he looked at her, he only saw a strong, beautiful woman… and that was no different now.

"It is as I thought then," Hiashi answered as he stood and gathered his things quickly. Then continued where he left off.

"You will have to excuse me for not staying longer, but a meeting of the elders must be called immediately. Neji, I need you to arrange for Tenten's belongings to be brought over here."

"That's really not necessary Hiashi-sama…" Tenten protested.

"I am afraid I must insist. Now that you are carrying a Hyuuga, it is far too dangerous for you to stay by yourself…especially considering your background. It would probably be best for you to stay with Neji in his room, just in case the Hidden Cloud decides to try something. Now if you will excuse me, I have a meeting to arrange. Good night."

And with that, he hurriedly exited the room, leaving behind two shinobi…anxious over the thought of spending the night together.

* * *

"You can have my bed tonight." Neji said as they entered his room.

Neji's words barely registered in Tenten's brain as she looked around. She had never seen he's room before, and even though she knew it would be big, she had clearly underestimated. Although it wasn't elaborately furnished, it was easily one of the largest bedrooms she had ever seen…she guessed that her whole apartment could easily fit into it. And the bed…it was so large you could get lost in it, and looked as if it would be pure heaven to sleep in…but she stopped her thoughts there…she could not sleep in Neji's bed! It would be hard enough to sleep alone in the same room with him, much less there…in the bed he sleep in every night…the bed that she knew would smell like him…the bed that some of her deepest fantasies had taken place in…

"No…I could never take your bed Neji...I can just sleep on the couch over there…if that's alright..."

"Absolutely not! You're pregnant with my child Tenten…you're not sleeping on the couch!"

Neji knew that sharing a room with Tenten wasn't going to be easy…that he would be incredibly tempted by her…but really…the couch? Had she lost her mind?

"You're taking my bed, and that's final!" Neji said as he pulled his shirt over his head and disappeared into the bathroom…giving Tenten some privacy in which to change clothes.

"I can't let you sleep on the couch in your own home Neji…it just isn't fair…I already feel like I am imposing." She replied as slipped off her clothes quickly, and searched through her bag for something to sleep in. Neji's voice echoed out from behind the bathroom door.

"Fine…then I will sleep in it with you." He said hastily as he opened the door…but froze at the sight before him.

Tenten was wearing a white silk gown, made out of the thinnest material. It was long, but left nothing to the imagination, hugging her curves in all the right places. There was a large slit that reached from the bottom of the dress to her waist, reveling the expanse of her long muscled legs and showcasing her shapely thighs. His eyes traveled upward to the top…it barely covered her succulent breasts, which were practically spilling out of their confines…her nipples clearly visible and shinning under the silky fabric.

"I hope this is alright…I couldn't find anything else in my bag." Tenten said shyly, her cheeks flushed a delicate, sexy pink.

All right? It was pure heaven and pure torture all at the same time. He should kill Hinata for packing it for her. She knew how he felt…how was he supposed to keep his hands off of her? The sight of her luscious body was already hardening his own to painful proportions. He stood completely still, watching the graceful sway of her hips as she climbed into his bed, the split in her gown falling back to reveal the naked skin of one of her firm cheeks. How many times had he dreamed of gripping those juicy cheeks as he slammed his hard length into her wet body, spilling himself into her as she cried out his name in ecstasy?

"Are you coming Neji?" She asked hesitantly. He had barely heard her. He forced his body to answer.

"I'm…going to…take a shower."

_A very cold one_, he thought to himself.

* * *

Well…I hope you enjoyed it! The next chapter will possibly have another lemon in it…so you have been warned. I can do the same thing I did last time and give a quick summary of the chapter at the beginning of the one following it for those of you who don't like to read them.

Have a Happy Halloween just in case I don't manage to get another chapter out before then…and as always….Please Review!


	7. Duty and Honor

Finally! Another chapter! I am SO sorry it took me so long. Between school papers, exams, the fall dance concert, my own addiction to reading the Twilight series, and the loss of a friend to cancer, I haven't been writing much of anything. But you guys have been so good to me! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews, PM's, and encouragement. It's what got be back on track!

I was completely floored by the number of reviews this time! Gigantic thanks goes out to skydreamer48, SasuxSakufan, weaponmistressbunny, MoshiMisho, ShyTan'ith, milee chan, Under a Rain Cloud, Merciless Ruby, Num.1 Hyperactive Kunoichi, Nocturnal Dream, UcHiHaHyUuGa, kukukuku, Cloud Envy Shikamaru, kitty, dreamwaters, Magenta of the Shadows, The Demonic Ninjas 3, Amieku, Yunie13, seesay, rallybabe89 (2 reviews!), Bluerosescorpio, hushpuppy1, dreamuponastar, 1upHero, Dingbat142001, Kontan Reza, Shenhui, iluvtsubasa, and CagedHeart for your amazing reviews!!! You guys are awesome!

Another huge thank you goes out to skydreamer48, sunnygirl1404, Nillie, Allycat817, Kodes89, Cloud Envy Shikamaru, kimiko77, JennyHyuga101, RayRay316, Mimi Babii, Vampyric Ninja, Magenta of the Shadows, The Demonic Ninjas 3, Bluerosescorpio, Mrs. Isabella Cullen, Princess Aiyana, HimeHikari, 10manday01, OmegaShadow, Lightning Struck, copperwind (double thanks for fav-ing both my stories!), TrulyWicked365, Dingbat142001, Naomi-nami16, Emi Takahashi, gunshotkitty, neji-sasuke-lover4ever, , Fallen Angel23, VampireQueen132, Azure Mint, zallanbig, rockycombs, CagedHeart, and taco the ninja forputting me on your alert list, favorite-ing my story, putting me on your favorite authors list, or any combination of those things!

As for questions…I am going to skip them this once in an effort to get this story out before next year…lol, but I promise that I will pick up with them where I left off next time!

Now for warnings, after the second page break, there is some M rated material…if you don't want to read it, just skip to the next page break. I will explain what you missed at the end of the chapter.

* * *

She felt the warmth of the sun on her face before she ever opened her eyes to it. It poured though the windows and bathed her skin in a golden radiance. It seemed as if that very light were strong enough to shine through her eyelids, as if it could creep under the creases in them and force them to open. Tenten fought the sensation for a few more moments, tossing restlessly in the clean, crisp sheets, loving the way they felt against her bare legs, before giving into what the morning glow required of her. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to the daylight, and paused momentarily when she realized that she was not in her own bed. Then the reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks.

She was in the Hyuuga compound…in her teammate's bed. All of the events of the previous evening came flooding back to her…the training with Neji, the pregnancy, the meeting with Hiashi, and the resulting night spent with Neji in his bedroom. Although nothing physically sexual had happened between them, it hadn't stopped her thoughts from running wild as she lye in his bed, surrounded by the woodsy, musky scent of him. It saturated the sheets as well as the pillow she rested her head on, making it impossible to concentrate on anything other than her memories…memories of the last time they had shared a bed… and the way his scent had surrounded her as he made love to her.

Could it even be called "making love"? Even though she loved him with all her heart, the drugs had been the catalyst in all of those situations. He had never made any declarations to her…she would just be lying to herself if she thought that any of it had meant anything to him. He had a fiancé. He was the head of the Hyuuga clan. His life was finally headed in the direction he had always wanted, and it pained her to know that she, and the child she carried, would be the ones to bring an end to it all.

Hesitantly, she rolled over onto her side…keeping her movements as small as possible to keep from waking him. Though the bed was large enough that it could be shared without ever knowing another person was there, she wasn't about to take any chances. It would be nice to have a few minutes to escape to the bathroom…to have a nice hot shower and be alone with her thoughts. But when she turned, she was surprised to find the spot beside her empty. He hadn't joined her in bed last night. Instead, she found him sprawled across the couch, his long, ebony locks unbound and flowing in an uncultivated way over his bare chest and the pillow under him. She drew in a breath and closed her eyes. He was so beautiful…and she wanted him so badly…wanted to run her hands though his silky hair and press her lips to his smooth skin. She wanted to feel every inch of his hard muscular body with her own as she loved him. Unconsciously, she found herself rising from the bed and edging her way toward him. Within moments, she was by his side…reaching out to tenderly cup his face in her hand…

"Uhnnn…" Neji groaned as he stretched his limbs slightly and shifted to a new position, still lost in a deep sleep.

Tenten breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't awake. She had gotten lucky. She knew from years of missions together that Neji rarely slept deeply, and when he did…it was only when he had pushed himself well beyond his limits...or when he was overly worried about something. Examining his face now at such a close range, she could see the dark circles under his eyes and knew instantly why he hadn't caught her a few moments earlier…he hadn't been sleeping well lately. From the looks of it, he hadn't been sleeping at all.

Why hadn't he shared the bed with her? Was she that repulsive to him? Inwardly, she cringed at the idea. It was true she had never thought of herself as true beauty, and had always been seen as somewhat of a tomboy, but she didn't think there was anything about her that would cause him to reject her so fervently. It wasn't as if they had never shared a bed before, so why would any of that matter now?

But when she gazed back at his face, so breathtakingly beautiful even in sleep, her feelings of hurt and confusion were melted away and replaced with a familiar, dull ache of longing. No longer able to fight the need, she placed her hand gently to his face, pausing for a moment to make sure he still slept, and then lowered her lips to his own.

* * *

"Uhnnn…"Neji moaned in pleasure. Tenten was on top of him, straddling him…completely naked and tempting him to lose all power over his body. He knew he was dreaming…since most of his dreams starred Tenten lately…but it felt far too good to fight it anymore…why not enjoy it?

"Oh…. Neji!" she sighed as she gripped his throbbing shaft with her hand and guided it into her body. She was so wet…he fought to keep from coming at that very moment…knowing that if he did, he would wake up. He closed his eyes to gain control. When he opened them, Tenten was riding him with wild abandon, her screams getting louder with every thrust, her hair untamed and flowing around her.

He licked his lips at the sight before him. Her round, melon-like breasts were bouncing up and down, the pink nipples puckered in arousal. He needed to taste them. Putting his hands behind her back, he pulled her toward him and pulled one pebble like nipple into his mouth, suckling her while he kneaded her other breast in his hand.

"Ahh…Neji…I love you," she said as she pulled his head away from her breast and lowered her lips to his own…

Slowly the kiss began to feel different…the image of Tenten was fading as he felt his body slowly being called back into reality. But as the dream began to grow fainter, the pressure to his lips felt more real…more solid. Gradually, he opened his eyes.

Tenten was kissing him…actually kissing him…though it took him several moments to realize it. His body was still groggy with sleep and felt heavy as he lay with his back pressed into the couch. He had dreamed of her so often, that it was almost hard to tell what was reality anymore. Sure enough though, Tenten was leaning over him, resting her weight in her hands on either side of his head. Her lips were soft and full, gently coaxing his own to respond…so he did.

Quietly, he raised his hand to the back of her head, running his fingers through her chocolate locks that were no longer in the customary buns he was so use to seeing her wear… the buns she had worn since childhood. Had he loved her that long? He decided that it didn't really matter anymore. Tenderly, he pulled her closer to him, losing himself in the feel of her lips against his own. But the kiss ended too soon. As soon as she realized that he was awake, Tenten pulled away as if she had been stung.

"Neji! I'm so sorry…I didn't realize…I didn't mean to…" she stammered as she rose to her feet, franticly looking for a way out of the situation.

Raising up on his forearms and pushing himself up into a seated position, he brushed his hair back with both hands and sighed…then stood up and walked towards her. He was determined to keep her from denying her feelings…he had waited to long for this. If she felt anything for him…anything at all…he needed to know.

"Tenten…"He said, his voice deep and husky in her ear. She felt Neji's large hands on each of her shoulders, his body dangerously close to her own.

"It wont happen again…I was out of line…I was out of my head…" she continued to ramble on as she gathered clothes out of her duffle bag at the foot of the bed. Running his hands down her arms, Neji stilled her busy hands and paused to breath in the scent of her hair…then turned her to face him.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Lifting her chin with his finger, he looked into her brown eyes with his own, piercing white ones, searching for an answer in their depths.

"Neji…please…just forget it happened…"she answered as she took a few frantic steps back, only to meet with the edge of the bed. Losing her balance, Tenten fell backwards towards the soft mattress, but was caught just as quickly in Neji's strong arms. When he delicately placed her on the bed, she knew had to get away from him…before she said or did something she shouldn't. Nervously, she scooted up toward the headboard as Neji followed, climbing on top of her and pinning her arms gently above her head. She felt the hard edges of his body pressing into her…holding her captive… and felt the evidence of his desire between her legs.

"Why did you kiss me…Tenten?"

His face was so close to her own, she could hardly think. His full lips were only inches from her mouth…his icy white eyes were hot with passion.

"I…" She closed her eyes as Neji's lips descended towards her mouth.

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

The two shinobi froze, then scrambled off of each other as the door opened.

"Hinata!"

"I-I'm so sorry…if I'm interrupting…but the elders have requested your presence at the morning meeting. As soon as you are dressed, you both need to make your way to the conference room." With a bow, she quietly exited the room.

Tenten moved as far across the room from Neji as she could get. She had been saved by Hinata's entrance, but couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at the same moment. She had been so close…

But there was no more time for conversation, for both knew what the meeting would entail. It was the discussion that would seal their fates forever. Reluctantly, Neji rose from the bed and gathered his things as Tenten silently disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

Neji and Tenten made their way down to the main branch family's conference room in awkward silence, and found Hiashi waiting for them outside the door.

"Neji! Tenten-san! Good morning…I trust you slept well?"

"More or less…" Neji replied evenly…and Tenten noticed…without any emotion. His Hyuuga mask was on again. He was preparing for the task ahead of them. She had seen him do this numerous times when they were growing up, and wasn't shocked to see him do it now. But still… it had always amazed her that he could so easily box up his emotions and burry them deeply inside himself.

The large door in front of them slid open and reveled a huge table surrounded by older, regal looking Hyuuga family members. If looks could freeze a person, she would be an iceberg now, due to the amount of frosty stares that were emanating from the interior of the room. It made her long to run in the opposite direction. As they stood in the doorway, she glanced up at Neji for reassurance, and was mesmerized by his stoic profile. He was truly the picture of a Hyuuga aristocrat, and seemed to carry an air about him that was much more powerful than any of the others in the room. He would be an incredible clan leader.

Neji glanced briefly at Tenten, silently cueing her to bow, and then led her to their places at the head of the table. Glancing around the room, he mentally checked off each of the elder members in attendance, before greeting the assembly in a traditional manner, allowing the meeting to begin.

"Neji-san, as you know…we have been deliberating throughout the night as to how we should properly handle this difficult situation." Hiashi paused momentarily to glance at Tenten apologetically, then returned his focus to Neji as he continued.

"Our options are very limited-"

"Our options are practically non-existent." The oldest looking Hyuuga member interrupted. By his boldness, Tenten could only assume that he was Hiashi's own father…who else would be haughty enough to cut a former clan leader short?

"May we remind you Neji, that the family has undergone great changes to put you in the position you are in today…the position of a Hyuuga clan leader. It required much compromise to allow this…for us to willingly agree to give up a part of our own ancient traditions."

Neji clenched his fists, but was otherwise unmoved as he continued to listen to his grandfather's tirade.

"We arranged a brilliant marriage for you… to one of the noblest families in the country. It was to be an alliance that would strengthen the power and honor of the Hyuuga name, and provide a strong heir for our clan." He glanced at Tenten in disgust, and then continued, "But what's to become of that now? Now that the future of our clan grows in your-"

"ENOUGH! I am well aware of my duty to this family and of all that has been sacrificed in order for me to lead it." Gazing furiously into his grandfather's eyes, he continued in a voice that was dangerously low and calm.

"You may say what you will about me…but you **will** watch what you say about her."

There was a moment of stillness. No one moved. No one spoke. They only watched as the two Hyuugas stared each other down with cold distain. The touch of Hiashi's hand on his shoulder re-focused him…bringing him back to the task at hand as he listened to his uncle's quiet words.

"Our first option, I fear…will not be favorable to you."

Neji watched with reluctance as one of the members motioned for someone in the back to come forward. This surprised him slightly…he was sure he had accounted for everyone in the room. However, the young man who came forward was clearly a Hyuuga…his long, dark hair and handsome features were very reminiscent of his own. He knew instantly who it was.

"Hitaki…why are you here? Branch members aren't normally involved in such matters…"

"He's your replacement Neji." His grandfather curtly replied. " He will be taking your place as Tenten's Husband-"

"No... Absolutely not!" Neji briefly lost his calm façade. Had they lost their minds? Even if he agreed to this…which he never would…how could they expect Tenten to just blindly follow along with it? He shifted his gaze to her briefly …only to find her staring at Hitaki…her eyes wide with apprehension

Tenten could barely move a muscle from the shock of the situation. The elders wanted her to marry a total stranger…another one of Neji's relatives…one that looked so much like him that he could have passed for his twin. How could they expect this of her? Although he just as gorgeous, he wasn't the man she loved. She inwardly cringed at the thought of waking up every morning to someone other than Neji. But if marrying Hitaki could give him a chance to get his life back, the life he was meant to have, how could she keep him from that? She loved him far too much to ever deny him anything. So when Hitaki started to speak in his smooth, even tone, she listened to what he proposed intently.

"Neji…I beg you to at least consider this option before turning it down so quickly. As a branch member, I am here to serve this type of purpose. It is my duty to protect the main family line. If Tenten marries me, then your engagement will still be valid!" Hitaki met Tenten's eyes with his own, and continued, "I would be honored to have this chance."

Neji noticed they way he looked at Tenten, the way his eyes lingered on her, and growled under his breath…he wanted to rip his head off.

"I'm sure you would be"

For the second time that morning, there was an uncomfortable silence… though this one was exceedingly different. Where the first one had been tense from a struggle between leaders, this one sparked with the heat of two young men over a woman.

"We are straying too far from the topic at hand," Neji's grandfather interrupted, "Try to remember your duty as you make this decision-"

"Remember my duty? Hn… Is it my duty to stand back and let the freedom of choice be taken from Tenten? Do nothing while she is forced to marry someone she doesn't even know or love? Watch every day as that man raises my child as his own? It's absurd! I assure you that I remember my duty to honor the Hyuuga family name…the name that my child will carry! I owe nothing to my fiancé but an apology, since I have never met her, but I owe Tenten and my unborn child far more."

Hiashi didn't think he could be more proud of Neji than he was at this moment. He hadn't backed down in the face of elder's demands…and though he could see he was angrier than he had ever been in his life, he was still able to argue with them rationally. Inwardly, he swelled with pride…Neji had done what he could never do. If only Hizashi were here to see it.

Neji took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. He was afraid to even glance in Tenten's direction…what could she possibly be thinking at this moment? It didn't matter. He would straighten everything out when this was over.

"What are my other options Hiashi-sama?" Neji asked as he looked to his uncle, who was staring back at him with sympathetic eyes.

"There is only one…you will have to marry Tenten yourself…call off the previous engagement immediately."

Neji gathered enough nerve to finally look at Tenten. Much to his surprise, she looked completely calm. How could she be so composed after everything that had been said?

"Tenten…are you okay with this?" He questioned hesitantly.

"It doesn't matter if she is," his grandfather interrupted, "She needs the Hyuuga name as protection. Ryoki is still after her and her child…he will never give up. Whether she likes it or not, there will be a wedding tonight. It is only a question of who."

Neji fought to keep himself together. As much as he longed to have Tenten as his wife, he didn't want it this way. He didn't want her to resent him for the rest of her life for taking her freedom of choice away from her.

"Tenten, I-"

"It's okay Neji…He's right. Ryoki will never leave us alone. If I have to marry a Hyuuga tonight, then I choose you."

Their eyes met…and when they did, Neji could see that she meant every word she had spoken. She chose him. She wanted him. He wouldn't refuse her.

"Make the preparations…I will be marrying Tenten tonight."

* * *

Well…there you have it… another chapter. Hopefully I wont take so long next time…but I can't make any promises. Please, please, please review…it's what keeps me going and gets me to write again when I don't feel like it! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

P.s. If you skipped the M part, all that happened was Neji was having a naughty dream and wakes up to find Tenten kissing him. He attempts to get her to explain her feelings, but Hinata interrupts them to tell them about the Hyuuga meeting.


	8. Confessions

* * *

Wow! It's been a while...and school has kicked my butt all last year. So instead of writing my story, I have been doing papers and projects and getting little to no sleep. But thankfully, summer is now here and I have time to write things that I enjoy! I really have worked a long time on this chapter and I really hope that those of you who have so kindly not given up on me really enjoy it. There will be a lemon in the next chapter. I am not sure if I should make a whole, short chapter that is just the lemon (so that people who don't want to read the M rated stuff can skip it), or if I should just go ahead and include it in a full chapter. I am not really sure how many people are skipping it...so if you would give me your thoughts on that in your review...that would be great!

Thank you again to all the wonderful reviewers and people who fav-ed me or put me on their alert list...especially after seeing how long I have been away from this story! I hate not putting everyone's names up...but at this point, I think you guys would like to have the story more...so to save time...I am posting without it....but don't worry...I still love you all just as much!!!

* * *

Tenten wondered where Neji had run off to so quickly. Almost immediately after the meeting had ended, he had leaned over and whispered that he had business he needed to take care of, then ushered her towards his cousin.

"Hinata will help you prepare for tonight," he had said casually…almost sounding the same way he used to years ago when they would get ready for a mission. Yet this was so much different…there was a real tension between them now…a slight apprehension, as they were no longer children taking on missions as a team. They were adults, and their relationship was far from innocent. As Tenten watched him walk away, she couldn't help but think that it was a bittersweet similarity.

These thoughts were the reason that she barely noticed her surroundings, or anything that was said to her, as Hinata led her out of the conference room and down a maze of endless hallways…then finally into Neji's room. Unconsciously, she closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled deeply… taking in the air that smelled so sweetly of him. It was easily the most wonderful scent she had ever smelt in her life. Then, since there was no vanity in the room, she sat down on the edge of the bed so that Hinata could begin fixing her hair.

Tenten had never had many female friends, but not because she didn't want them. It was just difficult to keep them when you weren't around them enough. Early on, before graduating to genin, it had been an easy task. Classes consisted of more than 30 students, so there were plenty of other girls to play with. But academy days went by in a flash. Very soon after becoming genin, all of the students were separated into 3 man teams… and since there were fewer female ninjas…most team ratios were two boys to every girl. A lucky few were assigned to a female team leader, but Tenten was not one of them. So, she spent most of her childhood, and all of her teenage years with Gai, Lee, and Neji…who were wonderful friends…but all essentially very male. On occasion, she would run into Hinata while training with Neji, and could briefly talk with her about girlish things… but never in much detail. Still, even those brief conversations made Hinata the closest female friend she had.

Tenten sat very still as Hinata took her hair down from it's two, trademark buns, then began to brush through it, pulling small pieces back from her face and securing them with delicate clips that shimmered with small, diamond flowers. Reflecting on her kind gesture, Tenten broke the silence.

"Hinata…I want to thank you for helping me now…I know this is something that you don't have to do…and I am very grateful. Everything has been happening so fast…I don't think I could do this on my own…"

Hinata's hands were motionless for a moment as she took in Tenten's gratitude, and then continued working as she evenly made her reply.

" There is really no need to thank me…you will be part of my family in a few hours, so it's the least I could do. Consider it a wedding gift."

"Part of the family…" Tenten whispered to herself. It was something she had never really had before, but something she had always wanted. And now that that very wish was racing towards her at such a fast rate, she had no idea how to handle it. Slowly, she let her hand rub lightly across her stomach. Although it was still flat, she knew that it held what would soon be the first living, blood relative to be a part of her life…half of it her…half of it Neji. She would soon have what she had always thought she wanted out of life…a family with the man she loved more than life itself…but it wasn't complete. She didn't just want Neji…she wanted his love. She was so engrossed in these thoughts that she didn't notice that Hinata had stopped working and now sat beside her on the bed.

"Neji must really care about you Tenten," she said, as if she could read her thoughts, "I have never seen him so passionate about anyone or anything before…the way he talked to the elders today…he has never blatantly opposed them like that."

Tenten looked up for a moment to meet Hinata's gaze with a small flame of hope flickering to life in her eyes. But that flame was doused out with self-doubt almost as soon as it had appeared. She knew Neji was an honorable man…and regardless of what had happened on that mission, he would blame himself. He would somehow feel that despite their drug induced behavior; he should have had enough control to stop himself. He was probably only acting out of duty…he had gotten her pregnant, and now it was his responsibility to take care of her…and his unborn child. What Hinata had said had been beautiful, but it just wasn't reality. Tenten dropped her eyes to the floor, shaking her head gently in disagreement.

"No…I'm carrying his child…he feels guilty about what happened…that's all this is."

Hinata let out a light chuckle of disbelief. How could two people be so blind to each other? She loved them both dearly, and hated to see them suffer unnecessarily. It was true that the situation had looked bleak before their last mission together…Neji was tangled up in an arranged marriage…and even if he hadn't been…the elders would never have allowed him to act on any feelings he had for Tenten…she just wasn't good enough for a Hyuuga in their eyes. He hadn't even spoken to her in years for that very reason…he didn't want to hurt her…

_(Flashback)_

_"Neji…are you alright?" Hinata asked as she approached her forlorn cousin who was staring with empty eyes out a large window in one of the many hallways of their family's vast compound._

_Briefly, he glanced back at her with a cold, unfeeling look, then returned his gaze to the window just as quickly. " What makes you think that I'm not?"_

_Hinata sighed and moved closer to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. She supposed it had been a dumb question…she knew why he was upset. There had been a meeting with the elders that morning; all main family had been in attendance…including her. She had listened in horror as the details of Neji's arranged marriage were divulged to him. She couldn't help but feel the guilt well up inside her…she knew how much Neji loved Tenten, even if he had never said so openly…knew that if it weren't for Neji, it would be her in this very situation…giving up all hope of ever being with the one person she loved more than life itself._

_"You love her Neji..." she said softly._

_"So what if I do? What good does it do me now? I haven't spoken to her in years! What would I say…'I love you desperately'? Hn...That's a joke! As if our family would ever allow it! All I would do is cause her pain. I could give up my position in this family, but where would that leave you Hinata? Think about it…you would be plunged back into the same position I am in now…only it would be worse for you…you have no desire to even lead the clan."_

_Neji roughly knocked Hinata's hand of his shoulder and began to walk down the hall, his stride as smooth and cold as it had been as a child. He was pulling everything he felt back inside…locking it away from everyone…including himself._

_"But what if she's your fate Neji…"_

_At those words, he froze in mid stride. He was so still that for a moment, she didn't think he would answer her; then his deep, icy voice echoed down the hall…tearing at her soul._

_" I don't believe in fate anymore…"_

_(End of Flashback)_

That seemed like so long ago, and even if he no longer believed in it, Hinata couldn't help but think that it was fate that had thrust them back together in the most intimate of ways. It was true that the mission had changed things for them…and the baby had helped change things even more. Neji could now have the position he had strived for years to receive, as well as the woman he had loved since childhood. She knew his reaction today had not been out of guilt…it was something much deeper…and more unyielding. It was something that Tenten needed to hear from him, not her. How could she reassure her friend, without revealing too much?

"I-I really think that you're wrong. Neji has always treated you…differently…not just from other girls, but also from other people. Even when he was younger, and so very bitter about the main family, he was always kind to you."

Tenten thought about the idea for a moment. It was true that Neji rarely went out of his way to talk to anyone in the first few years that she knew him. He spoke of other people's weaknesses bluntly…including her own, and generally gave off an unapproachable aura. But, despite all of that, he had always wanted to train with her … even though she was clearly weaker than him… and he always seemed a little more concerned about her well being. However, none of those things were clear signs of love…only friendship.

"It's true that he was kind to me, and still is. I do believe he cares about me…I just don't think that he cares about me as anything more than a close, childhood friend. It's not love that he feels right now Hinata…only obligation."

Hinata watched as a few tears fell from Tenten's eyes and ran down her cheeks. It made her own heart ache.

"You really do love him, don't you?" she asked as she rubbed her friend's back comfortingly. Tenten could only nod agreement as she wiped at the warm, salty tears running down her cheeks.

"You need to tell him. He deserves to know how you feel."

At hearing those words, Tenten perked up, instantly on defense. She could handle his family's dislike of her…she could handle being pregnant…she could handle a forced marriage…she could even handle Neji's pity and guilt, but she could never handle his rejection…it would be too much.

"I can't, "She continue to repeat nervously, "I don't know how he feels…I just can't do that."

"You have to…" She paused for a moment, deliberating on whether or not to share her thoughts…not wanting to hurt her friend any further. Then after a few seconds, she continued. "A love that's held back for fear of rejection is a selfish love. You don't love someone to be loved back, you simply love them."

Tenten looked up at her friend's calm white eyes…eyes that were like Neji's in many ways. In that moment, it was as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on her. Hinata was right. How could she have let her fear blind her to the truth? It would be hard to tell Neji, but she couldn't live the rest of her life hiding it. She loved him too much to ever hope to be successful at that…he had always been able to see through her.

"You're right Hinata," said, shaking her head and wiping the tears from her eyes. "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. How have you become so wise about these things?"

Hinata simply smiled.

"Years of loving someone in silence."

At that moment, there was a soft knock on the door, followed by a deep, masculine voice.

"It's Neji. Is it alright if I come in?"

Tenten looked to Hinata questioningly. Her friend's eyes silently told her that it was her choice about how to answer. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Tenten nodded and spoke up.

"It's alright Neji…you can come in."

* * *

The sound of Tenten's voice coming from the inside of his room caused Neji both relief and discomfort. Nervously, he fiddled with the small, velvet box in his pocket, flipping it over and over with his fingers. It contained something he had always wanted to give her, but never dreamed that it would ever be allowed.

Even before the meeting had ended, he knew what he had to do. He made his excuses to Tenten, leaving her to Hinata's care, and then rushed out of the building and into the compound that his parents had once lived in. It was a large building... just outside of the main one, so he didn't have to walk far. Wasting no time, he made his way to his mother and father's bedroom, and went straight for her jewelry box. It looked much the same as it did years ago…as his father had kept it that way. After his death, Neji had taken it upon himself to do the same as well. It was one of the few memories he had left of his parents. He lifted the lid and carefully pulled out a small gray box. Carrying it to the bed, he sat down and opened it. .

His mother's wedding ring was beautiful. It glimmered even in the dim light, sending small blotches of multi-colored radiance across his face and the rest of the room. It was perfect for Tenten. Much like the ring, she had always been that one, beautiful thing that brought color and light to his stuffy, constrained existence as a Hyuuga. She was a breath of fresh air…even as she took his breath away.

He had never intended to give the ring to anyone but her, as he could think of no one else who was worthy of his mother's ring. As for his previous fiancé, a different ring had been purchased for her …one he hadn't even picked out himself. It had seemed cold on his part, but he couldn't manage to feel anything for a woman he had never met, and now…never would.

But Tenten was different. She was so much more to him…more than anyone had ever been or ever would be. It was hard to remember a time when she wasn't a part of his life. She had been there through his darkest years as a genin, seeing through his bitter, cold façade, and reaching out to be his partner. As the years went on, their friendship only grew stronger…Tenten always seemed to bring out the best in him. It was one summer morning as he watched her training in secret…her movements fierce and graceful…that he realized he was wholly in love with her…body and soul. And now…in a matter of hours, she would be his wife…and within months, she would also be the mother of his first child. She deserved to have a proper proposal, and she deserved to know how he felt.

But that didn't make confessing to her any easier. Taking a deep breath to compose himself, he reached for the door and pushed it open…charging into the room…then stopping dead in his tracks at the vision before him.

Tenten was beyond beautiful. There were simply no words to describe her. She was seated on the edge of his bed, her chestnut hair cascading down her back and shoulders with small, diamond flowers scattered throughout. Her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, as well as her full, pout-y lips that begged to be kissed. He knew he was staring…that his mouth was gaping open…that his emotionless, Hyuuga mask had cracked completely, and had been blown away like dust in the wind.

"I will give you two some time alone…"

Hinata's voice broke through his thoughts. As he watched her walk out the door, he realized just how diverted his attention had been… he hadn't even realized she had been in the room.

Tenten on the other hand, longed for Hinata to stay…Neji was far too handsome and intimidating to be left alone with now. His mix of ethereal beauty and hard masculinity had always left her breathless. There was something thrilling about the way he looked at her… his eyes fixed on her alone as he powerfully strode towards the bed…as if she were the only thing that existed in his world…and she was all his. It was an expression that made her heart race, and her body ache and quiver in anticipation. She knew she couldn't trust herself around him now, and dropped her gaze to the floor…silently praying that he wouldn't see the longing in her eyes.

She felt the mattress shift as he sat down beside her…then the warmth of his hand as it found its way under her chin, lifting her gaze to his own. His eyes were intense…and as they had always been…stunning. This time, however, Tenten noticed that there was something more in them. Before she had time to think it through, he spoke.

"Your eyes are red…and puffy…you've been crying."

He trailed one finger gently over the tender skin under her eye, then let them comb through her soft hair, laying his warm palm on the sensitive area behind her ear. He paused for only a moment, long enough to see the liquid pooling in her eyes. Keeping his hand where it was, he brushed the tears off her cheek with his thumb, and was over come with shame…he had done this to her…had taken her dreams from her. He felt his soul shatter as he pulled her to him and enveloped her in his arms.

"I am so sorry Tenten…" He whispered brokenly, pulling her deeper into his embrace…as if he could draw her very essence into his own. "I know this isn't the way you imagined things would be…and I'm sure that I am not who you envisioned spending your life with…but…you have to trust me …things are going to be okay. I'll make them okay for you. Please…please don't cry…I just can't bare it."

As she buried her face in his chest, Tenten couldn't figure out what was leaving her so speechless…the way it felt to be in Neji's arms again, or the beautiful, tender words he had said to her. She knew she had to confess her feelings to him…he had things all wrong! She wasn't crying because she didn't love him…only because she feared he would never love her.

"Neji…it's not-"

"Shhhh…" Neji stopped her by touching his finger to her lips. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a little velvet box. Kneeling down in front of her, he took her hand and placed it in her palm…closing her fingers over its edges. "I know this is a little late, but I hope you will accept it." Holding his breath, he watched for Tenten's reaction as she uncurled her fingers and opened the box.

"Oh…Neji…this is…beautiful." She answered quietly…unable to pull her eyes away from the gift.

"It was my mother's."

Tenten was in shock. It was the most stunning thing she had ever seen. It's delicate band curved intricately around the sparkling stones, creating more than just a ring, it was a work of art…and it had been his mother's. She knew there must be some mistake…he couldn't really want to waste something so precious on her.

"Neji… I can't…I-"

In that moment, all of her protests were silenced as Neji's lips covered her own in a desperate, passionate kiss. His tongue licked the seam of her lips, causing her to moan slightly…just enough for him to plunge his tongue deep into her mouth. Completely overcome with sensations, Tenten gave in to her desire as Neji pressed her back into his bed.

* * *

Neji poured all of himself into the kiss…everything he had ever held back from her as he pressed his thick, muscular body into her own. In the moment Tenten had tried to reject his ring, an uncontrollable fear struck him to his very core. He knew he could never let her finish her sentence…he needed all of her… body and spirit. Even if he could never have her love…he knew couldn't live without her in his life. He might never be what she wanted, but he loved her enough to make up for it. He had to make her see…he had to make her love him. Neji knew he was an attractive man…if her heart wouldn't react to him, then maybe her body would…god knows his own did. Just the sight of her caused his blood to rush downward to his groin, hardening him in anticipation. Only when the kiss slowed and they were both out of breath, did he drop his forehead to hers and speak…his voice thick with desire.

"I'm in love with you Tenten…I think I always have been…"

Neji's lips found their way to the smooth skin of her neck as he pressed his arousal into soft cushion of her core. Satisfied with the moan that escaped her lips, he whispered in into her ear, "I need you…please…let me make you happy."

"Neji…" His name was barely a whisper on her lips as she closed her eyes and lost herself completely in sensation. She knew that she could never deny him…she needed him just as much. Her hands pulled at his shirt and slid underneath, caressing the hot, rigid muscles of his back. She lifted her head off the pillow and returned his gesture; her lips soft and full, lightly brushing his ear as she whispered, "Yes Neji, please…"

It was all the encouragement he needed.

* * *

Well...that's chapter 8. I hope everyone enjoyed it. I think this is the longest chapter I have written yet. I hope I didn't go too overboard with trying to describe things. I put a little Hinata romance in there...as her confession to Naruto was just super cool (even though I favor narusaku over naruhina). I tried to leave it open ended so you could take it either way...she confessed and they are together, or she confessed and it didn't happen. Either way, I think she has grown as a character, and I tried to show that in the story. As always, thank you for reading...and please review!


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